Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2020

The Board denied service connection for cervical spine disability, acquired psychiatric condition (including nervous condition and PTSD), hearing loss of the right ear, and lumbar spine disability. The evidence did not support a causal relationship between these conditions and active service.

The Veteran's spine condition is granted as service connection, with the claim reopened due to new and material evidence.,Service connection for PTSD is granted, with the claim reopened due to new and material evidence. The Veteran’s representative provided additional information regarding his stressors.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension, left hip disability, right ankle disability, low back disability, neck disability and migraine headaches. The Board found that the evidence supports these claims as they are related to the Veteran's in-service injuries.

The Board denied service connection for a bilateral knee disability, cervical spine disability, and lumbar spine disability. The evidence did not show an in-service injury or disease related to these conditions.,Service connection was not granted because the current diagnoses were not caused by active duty service.

The Board has remanded the claims for diabetes mellitus, thoracolumbar spine disorder, and cervical spine disorder due to potential aggravation during service. The Veteran's type I diabetes was diagnosed in 2000, but there is no evidence of its presence prior to her last period of active duty from October 2002 to April 2004. A VA examination will be needed to determine if the condition was aggravated by service and whether it is related to a pre-existing condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and records review.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for back disability, neck disability (as secondary to back disability), right knee disability (as secondary to back disability), and left knee disability (as secondary to back disability) due to outstanding VA medical records from Des Moines, Iowa VAMC.

The Veteran's claim for a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for degenerative intervertebral disc disease of the cervical spine with arthritis is denied. The evidence does not support a higher rating based on the current range of motion and functional loss.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine and cervical spine, finding that the evidence is at least evenly balanced as to whether these conditions are related to military service.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's claimed cervical spine, right knee, and right ankle disorders. The VA examiner was directed to consider the Veteran's lay statements about in-service injuries and symptoms.

The Board has remanded the claim for service connection for chronic arthritis of the joints, other than the cervical spine and great toes, to include as secondary to the service-connected hepatitis C and diabetes mellitus type II. The remand is due to a lack of an adequate statement of reasons and bases in the August 2018 Board decision and the need for another VA examination.

The Board granted service connection for a low back disability, but denied service connection for pes planus, Raynaud's disease, and neck disability. The low back disability is considered to be directly related to the Veteran's military service.

The Veteran's appeals for a compensable disability rating for laceration of the right hand, and for whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen claims for left ankle disability and low back disability are dismissed. The claim for service connection for neck disability is denied as no new and material evidence was submitted. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus is granted.

The Board denied service connection for low back pain and upper back pain (DDD with severe spondylosis cervical, C5, C6, and C7) as these conditions were not incurred during military service or are related to such service.,A claim of entitlement to service connection for asthma was reopened due to the submission of new evidence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of her cervical spine, thoracic spine, left knee, shin splints, and hip disabilities. The VA will provide additional examinations to address these issues.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to lack of available service treatment records and an inaccurate request for radiation exposure information. The Veteran's bladder cancer is presumed not related to ionizing radiation, but his degenerative arthritis may be related to ionizing radiation or his bladder cancer.

The Veteran's service-connected neck disability, back disability, and right and left upper extremity disabilities are being remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar spine, cervical spine, right knee, and left knee disorders. The case is being remanded to obtain an addendum opinion from the examiner who conducted the July 2018 VA knees and spine examinations.

The Board has found that additional development is necessary due to outstanding SSA records and a need for more recent VA examinations. The case is being remanded for these purposes.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional examinations and treatment records.