Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2019

The Veteran's claims for compensation under the provisions of 38 U.S.C. § 1151 and/or service connection for a lumbar spine disorder, as well as his claim for service connection for a cervical spine disorder, are remanded due to new evidence received since the final November 2009 rating decision. The Veteran's claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder is also remanded with instructions to obtain relevant medical records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran did not have a bilateral foot, right leg, or left leg disability during his lifetime. The appellant's statements regarding these disabilities are not considered competent evidence as they do not demonstrate medical expertise.,The Veteran was diagnosed with CAD in 1999, which is more than 37 years after his discharge from service. There is no evidence linking the diagnosis to his service or any incident therein.

The Veteran's claim for lumbar spine stenosis was reopened and granted.,The Veteran's claims for cervical spine stenosis and degenerative disc disease were granted, but his claim for vertigo was denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for carpal tunnel syndrome of the right wrist and cervical spine condition, both secondary to a right shoulder disability. The case is being sent back for additional VA etiology opinions.

The Board has decided that the Veteran does not have a diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome and therefore denied service connection for this condition. The cases are remanded to obtain additional service treatment records from the Veteran's reserve service.

The Board denied service connection for tinnitus, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and a neck disability. The decision found that the Veteran's tinnitus did not begin during active service or be related to an in-service injury or disease.,Service connection was also denied for GERD as it is secondary to alcoholism, which the Board determined was due to the Veteran’s own willful misconduct.

The Veteran's application to reopen their claim for service connection of a lumbar spine disorder has been granted. The issues of service connection for cervical spine disorder, cervical radiculopathy, and gynecological disorder are also being considered.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary before the claims for service connection can be adjudicated on the merits. This includes obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling examinations to determine the etiology of the Veteran's claimed disabilities.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete service records and requests for verification of the Veteran's Air Force Reserve service. The Veteran is seeking service connection for a cervical spine disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to new and material evidence, as well as other issues related to his PTSD claim. The VA is instructed to obtain all relevant records, including SSA records, and schedule a VA psychiatric examination.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased evaluation of PTSD and service connection for a cervical spine disorder has been remanded. The TDIU issue is also pending due to its interdependence with the cervical spine disorder claim.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for cervical spine disorder and right upper extremity disorder, finding that further examination is needed to determine if these conditions are related to service.

Service connection for a left ankle disability, asthma, chronic cervical strain (thoracic spine), and tinnitus is denied.,The Veteran's service treatment records do not show any current disabilities. The Board finds that the Veteran does not have a current disability related to his in-service complaints or exposure.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions, including his back and neck disabilities, sleep disorders, and gastrointestinal issues, have rendered him unable to maintain gainful employment. The Board has granted a TDIU based on these conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a cervical spine condition, GERD, chronic pain syndrome, PTSD, and TDIU due to missing VA treatment records and need for additional examinations.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been remanded due to failure to report for scheduled VA examinations.,VA has attempted to obtain all available records from the Denver VAMC, but no treatment records exist in the requested date range.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a neck disability, finding that there was no evidence linking his current condition to his active military service.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his death, and the Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this appeal at this time.

The Veteran's service connection claims for degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine, erectile dysfunction (ED), and traumatic brain injury (TBI) have been granted. The Veteran also has a residual symptom of headaches, non-specific, but it is not considered service-connected.,Service connection was established for all claimed conditions based on direct evidence linking each condition to in-service events.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee condition, right knee condition, and cervical stenosis, status post C-6 discectomy due to insufficient evidence. A VA examination is required for each claim.