Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2019

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for various disabilities have been dismissed due to the Veteran's withdrawal of his appeal.,The Veteran has withdrawn all issues except for entitlement to service connection for a left knee disability, right knee disability, back disability, neck disability, sleep disability, and hypertension.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for back and neck disabilities due to a lack of medical opinion regarding whether pre-existing scoliosis was aggravated by service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including thoracolumbar disc disease and cervical disc disease with right shoulder disability, have rendered him unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional medical records and physical examinations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for low back, neck, bilateral shoulder, bilateral knee, and bilateral hip disabilities due to inadequate opinions regarding aggravation by pre-existing conditions.

The Veteran's neck condition and sinusitis are granted as service-connected.

The Veteran's cervical and lumbar spine disabilities are currently rated at 20% and 40%, respectively. The Board finds that the current ratings adequately reflect his symptoms as described in the rating criteria.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for cervical spine disability was denied.,Prior to April 2, 2019, the Veteran's left upper extremity radiculopathy was rated at 20 percent. After that date, it was increased to 30 percent.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for left knee, lumbar spine, and neck disabilities due to incomplete medical history and lack of objective evidence.,Further examination is needed to determine if these conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's petition to reopen his claim for service connection of a cervical spine disability is granted. The Board also remanded the issues of increased rating for low back disability and TDIU based on the same issue.

The Veteran's bilateral plantar fasciitis is not rated higher than 30 percent.,Prior to March 16, 2018, the Veteran’s degenerative joint disease of the right shoulder was rated at 10 percent; since then, it has been rated at 20 percent. The left shoulder condition remains at 10 percent prior to March 16, 2018 and at 20 percent thereafter.,The Veteran's degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine was initially rated as noncompensable but is now rated at 20 percent; his cervical spine condition has been rated at 10 percent since March 16, 2018.,Left knee patellofemoral syndrome and right hip strain with osteoarthritis have both been rated at 10 percent. The left hip strain conditions are each rated at 10 percent prior to March 16, 2018 and at 20 percent thereafter for limited flexion.,The Veteran's right hip strain with osteoarthritis has a separate noncompensable evaluation for limitation of flexion.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a cervical spine condition, low back condition, left knee condition, and right knee condition. The evidence does not support a finding of current disability or a nexus to service.,The Veteran contends his current conditions are related to his duties as a drill instructor during active duty, but there is no indication that he sustained any injuries in the line of duty.

Service connection for a neck/cervical spine disorder, sleep apnea, high blood pressure, degenerative arthritis of the lumbosacral spine with degenerative disc disease and disc extrusions, left lower extremity radiculopathy, right lower extremity radiculopathy, left knee retropatellar pain syndrome, and left varicocele is denied.,Effective dates for these grants are not being granted prior to March 25, 2013.

The Veteran's service connection claim for degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine was denied due to lack of evidence linking his current condition to service.,PTSD ratings were increased from 30% prior to May 3, 2017, and from 50% after that date.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of his neck and heart disabilities. The Veteran must undergo VA examinations to determine if these conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's PTSD with associated panic attacks and depression is granted at a rating of 70 percent, effective from the date his claim was received by VA. The other service-connected disabilities have their ratings either denied or unchanged.

The petition to reopen the appeal for entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied. The petition to reopen the appeal for entitlement to service connection for right knee pain is reopened and the claim for service connection for right knee pain is denied.

The Board has remanded the case for an opinion addressing whether the Veteran's neck disorder is related to service or his service-connected bilateral ankle disability, specifically considering if it was caused or aggravated by the ankle disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee degenerative joint disease, lumbar spine disorder, cervical spine disorder, and headache disorder due to inadequate VA opinions based on time since service separation.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for cervical strain with degenerative arthritis and headaches, as well as his TDIU claim due to the need for additional examinations to assess the severity of these conditions.