Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2020

The Veteran's atrial fibrillation is found to be related to his service-connected valvular heart disease.,The Veteran's cervical spine surgery at level C3-C4 and severe cervical stenosis are not considered incurred in or aggravated by service, nor can they be presumed to have been incurred therein due to herbicide exposure.,The Veteran's right hand, fingers, and thumb nerve disability is not considered incurred in or aggravated by service, nor can it be presumed to have been incurred therein due to herbicide exposure.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a neck disability due to new and material evidence. The case is remanded for further development, including a VA examination.

The Veteran's cervical spine strain with spondylosis is being remanded for additional medical records and a new VA examination to determine if it is related to his service-connected left hip arthroplasty or if it was caused by military service.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for increased ratings in writing prior to the hearing, thus all issues on appeal are dismissed.

The Board denied service connection for arthritis of the right wrist and hand, arthritis of the left wrist and hand, and a musculoskeletal disability other than elbows, wrists, arms, hands, shoulders or cervical spine due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Veteran's appeal for higher ratings and earlier effective dates for cervical and lumbar strain disorders have been dismissed as the claims were already decided by the Board in June 2016.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient reasoning and lack of consideration of lay statements and in-service treatment records. The Veteran's cervical spine condition is being reviewed for both direct and secondary service connection.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for osteoarthritis of the lumbar spine, cervical spine, and right hip as there is no evidence showing a current disability or causation related to his active duty service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and evaluation of hearing loss due to incomplete rationale in the September 2018 VA examiner's opinion, lack of relevant VA treatment records from December 2018 to present, and discrepancies between different speech discrimination tests used.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient medical nexus opinions regarding his respiratory condition, migraine headaches, and cervical spine condition. The claims are related to active duty service, including exposure to environmental hazards such as burn pits.

The Veteran's lumbar spine, cervical spine, and right knee conditions are granted service connection. The cases of basal cell carcinoma, left knee disorder, and right shoulder or trapezius disorder are remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for degenerative joint disease of the cervical spine and a right knee disability due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings due to current shoulder, back, neck, and hip problems. The claims are being remanded for VA examinations.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his cervical spine disorder was denied. The effective date of the increased rating is April 11, 2003.

The Veteran's GERD was granted service connection as it began during active service. The remaining issues on appeal are remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's thoracic condition and cervical spondylosis have not been established as service-connected.,Both conditions are denied, with the exception of a remanded issue regarding secondary service connection for obstructive sleep apnea.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased disability evaluations and service connection, as well as his claim of entitlement to a waiver of recoupment of separation pay. The Veteran is required to undergo VA examinations and all available VA treatment records must be associated with his claims file.

Your appeals for service connection of left shoulder and neck disabilities have been dismissed as the appellant requested withdrawal of the appeal.

An effective date of January 23, 2015 for the grant of service connection for right upper extremity radiculopathy is granted.,Effective dates earlier than June 27, 2016 are denied for the grants of service connection for tension headaches, TBI, tinnitus, mixed anxiety depressive disorder, left upper extremity radiculopathy, cervical spine degenerative arthritis, and thoracolumbar spine degenerative disc disease.,The Veteran's December 31, 2015 claim referenced neurological damage which should have been recognized as claims including TBI and the nerve damage in his bilateral shoulders. However, no head injury nor left shoulder neurological damage was mentioned.

The Board denied service connection for low back, neck, and bilateral upper/lower extremity neurologic disabilities as they were not related to service or any presumptive exposure.