Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2020

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including vertigo, right and left wrist disorders, sleep disorder, right shoulder disorder, lumbar spine disorder, cervical spine disorder, right hip disorder, left hip disorder, actinic keratosis, nasal polyps, squamous cell carcinoma, acquired psychiatric disorder (adjustment disorder, depression, anxiety disorder), eye disorder (vitreous syneresis, floaters, panniculi), right knee disorder, left knee disorder, hernia, pulmonary hypertension, and allergic rhinitis have been denied. The claims are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's cervical spine condition is being remanded for a new VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his condition, including whether it is related to service or secondary to his service-connected lumbar spine disability. The Persian Gulf War theory of entitlement is also raised but requires further medical evaluation.

The Veteran's appeal to reopen service connection for PTSD was granted. Service connection for a cervical spine disorder, right hip disorder, and ovarian disorder were remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of various conditions, including headaches, cervical and lumbar myositis, were remanded due to the need for further development. The Board did not assign a specific rating or effective date as the appeal was remanded.

The Board has remanded several issues related to service connection and disability ratings for various conditions, including migraines, neck disability, back disability, sleep apnea, high blood pressure, diabetes, varicose veins of the left lower extremity, left shoulder disability, and anxiety. The Veteran's SSA records have not been associated with the claims file.

The Board denied service connection for bone loss, neck disability, bilateral shoulder disability, and bilateral ankle disability as secondary to service-connected pleural disease.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right hand disability, left hand disability, neck disability, and hepatitis B due to exposure at Camp Lejeune. The Board found that there was no evidence linking these conditions to service or post-service treatment.

The Veteran's increased ratings for cervical spine, left knee, and right knee disabilities have been denied.,Service connection has been granted for OSA.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for headaches, finding that while his service-connected PTSD and cervical arthritis conditions may aggravate his headaches, they do not rise to a level of severity sufficient to warrant a compensable rating.

The Veteran's mild degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine is rated at 20 percent, which is the maximum rating available under the General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine. The Board found that a higher rating was not warranted based on the current evidence.

The Veteran's IBS is currently rated at the maximum schedular rating, and his TDIU claim has been granted. The Board finds that additional examination and medical opinion are needed to determine if service connection for sleep apnea should be granted.,Service connection for post-polio syndrome was remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability is currently rated at 30 percent, and the Board has remanded to address the propriety of a separate rating for right upper extremity radiculopathy.

The Veteran's service connection claims for various back, neck, shoulder, elbow, wrist, and hip conditions are granted. The claim for bilateral deafness is denied.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for right ankle and neck disabilities is reopened, but the claims are remanded due to lack of VA treatment records from his period of active service. The Board requests that the Veteran provide information about where he received treatment during service and schedules examinations to determine if current disabilities are related to in-service injuries.

The Veteran's cervical strain is rated at 20 percent from May 19, 2009 to August 28, 2017 and denied for a higher rating.,The Veteran's cervical strain is rated at 30 percent from August 29, 2017 and denied for a higher rating.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for a cervical spine disability is remanded due to the inadequacy of the August 2019 VA examination report and the need for a new examination with an adequate opinion on the Veteran’s functional impairment during flare-ups.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability has been denied as there is no evidence of current hearing loss that meets VA criteria.,Service connection for sleep deprivation was also denied due to lack of a diagnosed condition and functional impairment.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service connection claims for various disabilities, including a cardiological disability and psychiatric disability (including PTSD), lumbosacral strain, neck disability, right lower leg/calf disability, right and left thigh disability, right wrist disability, right and left shoulder disability, left and right hip disability, and left and right knee disability are remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation from December 20, 2009 to April 9, 2019. His appeal for TDIU is granted during this period.

The Veteran's radiculopathy, left upper extremity is currently rated at 30 percent disabling. The Board finds a remand necessary to determine the severity of his condition due to his contentions of worsening symptoms.