Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to new evidence submitted since his original claim decisions. The claims are now pending and will be reviewed again with a focus on obtaining medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of the claimed disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for residuals of cervical spine surgery, a vocal cord disorder, and a throat disorder. The Veteran's claims were not supported by medical evidence showing a causal relationship between the conditions and his military service.,Compensation pursuant to 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for a vocal cord and/or throat disorder resulting from VA cervical spine surgery was also denied due to lack of causation.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and earlier effective dates have been dismissed due to the Veteran's attorney withdrawing the appeals in November 2019.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a TDIU rating, finding that his service-connected disabilities alone are not sufficient to render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's cervical spine disability and numbness and loss of dexterity of his bilateral hands, finding that these conditions are at least as likely as not caused by or aggravated by his in-service neck injury.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine and cervical spine, finding that the evidence is at least evenly balanced as to whether these conditions were incurred in service.,Service connection was also granted for tension headaches. The Veteran's left ear hearing loss and chronic fatigue syndrome have been denied.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for a cervical spine disorder and increased ratings for right hip bursitis with limitation of flexion and extension prior to November 2, 2015.,No disability rating was assigned for the Veteran's right hip condition prior to November 2, 2015.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of heat exhaustion and cervical spine disability was denied as new evidence did not prove or disprove the issues at hand, and his current disabilities were not related to military service.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for a higher rating for right shoulder separation and PTSD as of December 30, 2014. The remaining issues have been REMANDED for further development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for fibromyalgia and a cervical spine disability were denied. The Board found that there was no evidence of in-service diagnosis or chronicity of these conditions, and the VA examiner determined they are not related to service.,For the right knee, sinusitis, and allergic rhinitis claims, the Veteran's initial ratings higher than 20 percent were denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for right knee, neck, and low back disabilities due to insufficient medical opinions addressing the nature of these conditions and their relationship to service.

The Board denied service connection for a cervical spine disability and left upper extremity radiculopathy, finding that the Veteran's current disabilities were not causally related to his military service.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for cervical spine disability and left wrist disability due to insufficient evidence in their favor. The Veteran will need to provide additional medical records, including those from his private physician Dr. M.S., and a new VA examination is required.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for neck disability, bilateral hip disability, and acquired psychiatric disorder (bipolar disorder) as secondary to a service-connected back disability due to inadequate VA examinations. The case is being sent back for further development.

The Board has granted the reopening of previously denied claims for service connection for lumbar and cervical spine disabilities, finding that new evidence establishes current disabilities. Service connection is granted based on direct evidence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cervical spine disability did not manifest within one year of separation and there is no evidence of continuity of symptoms since service. The VA examiner found it less likely than not related to his service, thus denying the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability, TBI residuals with MDD, and cervico-genic headaches are all granted increased ratings. The Veteran is entitled to a 30 percent rating for his cervico-genic headaches.

The Board denied service connection for cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine disorders, as well as bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The Veteran's claims were reopened due to new evidence submitted after September 2005.,Service connection was not granted for any of the claimed conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, thus the Board has granted entitlement to TDIU.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to attend to many of the activities of daily living without regular assistance from a personal caregiver, warranting SMC at the aid and attendance rate.