Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2019

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of his cervical radiculopathy and migraines.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection on all issues except PTSD was dismissed. The Board found that the Veteran had been diagnosed with PTSD and supported by medical and lay evidence, thus granting service connection for PTSD.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the veteran's cervical spine disability is related to her active duty service, including wearing heavy gear and a motor vehicle accident. The examiner will need to provide an opinion on the etiology of the disability.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional examinations and to obtain outstanding medical records. The issues of rating his cervical spine disorder and entitlement to a temporary total rating due to convalescence are also being remanded.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for a new VA examination to assess the severity of her PTSD and fibromyalgia, as well as to obtain updated VA treatment records. The issues of increased rating for PTSD and TDIU are also being remanded due to their inextricability.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for migraine headaches was denied, and service connection for surgical neck scars associated with cervical spine DDD was granted but only up to June 30, 2014. The Veteran’s claim for a higher rating for his stellate scar of the occipital area of the scalp is remanded.

The Veteran's bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy is granted service connection based on exposure to herbicide agents in service. The cervical spine disability claim is remanded for further development.

The rating reduction from 20 percent to 10 percent for lumbosacral degenerative joint disease (DJD) effective December 19, 2017 was improper, and the 20 percent rating is restored.,Entitlement to a rating more than 10 percent for cervical spine DJD is remanded.

The Board denied service connection for chronic lumbar spine and cervical spine disorders due to lack of evidence showing a link between these conditions and the Veteran's active or reserve service.,Service connection was also denied for right knee disability as there is no evidence of ankylosis, nonunion, dislocation, or limitation of motion.

The Veteran's tinnitus and degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine have been granted service connection.,Other issues, including those related to the lumbar spine, left leg sciatica, left ankle strain, psychiatric disorder, hearing loss, and bilateral foot condition, are being remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's sleep apnea and neck disability claims should be remanded for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and adjudication due to incomplete records, unclear findings from a previous examination, and failure to address the entire appeal period.

The claims of entitlement to service connection for various conditions, including an acquired psychiatric disorder, dermatological disabilities of the hands, diabetes mellitus, type II, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, lumbar and cervical spine disabilities, and obstructive sleep apnea have been remanded due to new evidence received since the last denial.

The Board has ordered a remand to obtain an addendum medical opinion regarding whether the service-connected lumbosacral strain aggravated (worsened in severity beyond a normal progression) the neck disability of mild cervical spine DDD and DJD. The current addendum does not adequately address this issue.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a cervical spine disability, finding that it did not manifest during or within one year after service and is not related to an in-service injury.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his cervical spine disability is being remanded due to additional evidence received after the Statement of the Case.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to an inadequate medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's neck disability is aggravated by her service-connected PTSD.

The Board has decided to remand the cases due to inadequate explanation and failure to quantify flare-ups in the cervical spine. The Veteran's claims for increased rating and individual unemployability are being sent back for further examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cervical and lumbar spine, right knee, and right shoulder disabilities are not related to service. However, due to incomplete records and conflicting medical opinions, further examination is needed to clarify these issues.

The Board has determined that additional examinations and opinions are needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for increased ratings, service connection, and TDIU. The issues have been remanded.