Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional examinations and information to determine appropriate disability ratings.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for various disorders, including back disorder, cervical spine disorder, right shoulder disorder, left shoulder disorder, right ankle disorder, and left ankle disorder. The issues are being returned to the AOJ for review of additional evidence.

The Board dismissed all issues of service connection due to the Veteran's withdrawal of his appeal.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the role of service-connected work duties in developing the Veteran's neck disability.

The Veteran's cervical spine degenerative disc disease is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board has remanded this issue for further development.,For migraines, the Veteran is seeking a rating in excess of the current 30 percent.

The Board has remanded several claims for further development due to insufficient medical opinions regarding service connection. The Veteran's peripheral neuropathy, loss of muscle in the right upper extremity, neck disability, and sinusitis are all being reviewed for possible service connection.

The Veteran is granted SMC based on loss of use of both hands due to service-connected cervical and upper extremity disabilities.,The need for regular aid and attendance claim is moot as the Veteran's SMC(m) award for loss of use of both hands is the greater benefit.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding his claimed joint pain and arthritis.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's cervical spine, foot, and psychiatric conditions. The main focus is on determining whether these conditions are service-connected or aggravated by his service-connected lumbar spinal stenosis.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is denied as his service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment prior to March 1, 2013. His full-time employment was found to be non-marginal and he received compensation for his absences.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need to obtain additional medical records from SSA.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims and increased rating claims due to new evidence received after previous decisions. The Veteran is entitled to a compensable rating for hypertension, but additional development is needed as no SOC was issued regarding this issue. He also needs an examination to determine the current severity of his hypertension. Other issues are remanded for further action.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for bipolar disorder was dismissed. The claim for reopening of cervical spine disability was granted, but only to the extent that it is secondary to a service-connected condition.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims of service connection for cervical spine and left arm disabilities due to missing records, insufficient medical opinions, and lack of contemporaneous service treatment records. The Veteran will need a new VA examination to determine if his current disabilities are related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to missing service records and the need for additional medical opinions regarding the Veteran's claimed disabilities, including PTSD, splenectomy residuals, and cervical spine disability.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including cervical spine disorder, cervical radiculopathy, right shoulder disorder, right upper extremity scars (armpit scars), back disorder, and right leg sciatica, as they were not related to the Veteran's period of honorable service from September 6, 2005 to November 25, 2008.

The Board has found the reduction in ratings for cervical strain and right shoulder disability to be improper, and has ordered remand for further examination and rating determinations. The Veteran's TDIU claim is also remanded.

The Veteran's right shoulder strain is currently rated at 10 percent prior to July 8, 2014 and 20 percent beginning from July 8, 2014. The cervical spine and right ankle disabilities are remanded for further examination and opinion.,Service connection for the lumbar strain disability and TDIU prior to January 4, 2013 is also remanded.

The Veteran's cervical spine arthritis is found to have its onset in service, and the Board grants service connection for this condition.

The Board denied service connection for gynecological problems, other than bacterial vaginosis and urinary incontinence to include residuals of cervical cancer, and bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran's claims were not supported by the evidence presented.