Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2020

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a cervical spine disorder, finding that his current condition originated during his military service and resolving all doubt in his favor.

The Board has granted service connection for cervical spine disability and right CTS, finding that the Veteran's Reserve service duties aggravated her pre-existing conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including sleep disorder, eye disorder, arthritis of the cervical spine, right knee, hands, elbows, and right shoulder, as well as urinary problems, are being remanded due to insufficient examination opinions addressing prior findings.

The Board has ordered the case to be remanded due to inadequate spine examinations, specifically lacking passive range of motion testing.

The Board dismissed all issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims due to his death.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), have rendered him unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher disability rating for his cervical spine disability was denied, and the claim for service connection for acid reflux was also denied. The Board found that the Veteran’s cervical spine disability did not meet the criteria for a higher than 10 percent rating under Diagnostic Code 5242.

The Board has remanded the case for a determination on whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities precluded him from securing or following substantially gainful employment prior to July 2, 2014. The decision is pending further review.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's low back and cervical spine disabilities, attributing them to his in-service car accident. The appeal is now remanded for further evaluation of other claims.

The Veteran's hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable, with the most recent audiometric evaluations showing Level I in both ears.,Service connection for a cervical spine disorder has not been established. The Board found no evidence of chronic disease during service or within one year post-service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's respiratory disability and musculoskeletal disabilities. The claims will be reconsidered on their merits, with a focus on whether these conditions were incurred or aggravated by active duty.

The Veteran's hypertension is not rated in excess of 10 percent.,There is no current diagnosis of a left leg disability, and the preponderance of evidence does not support service connection for this condition.,Similarly, there is no current diagnosis of a right leg disability, and the preponderance of evidence does not support service connection for this condition.,The Veteran's left knee disability has been diagnosed as arthritis, but the preponderance of evidence does not support service connection due to lack of in-service injury or disease.,Similarly, there is no current diagnosis of a right knee disability, and the preponderance of evidence does not support service connection for this condition.,The Veteran's cervical spine disability has been diagnosed as arthritis with myelopathy and radiculopathy. The preponderance of evidence does not support service connection due to lack of in-service injury or disease.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability is rated at 30 percent, and he has been granted a TDIU since July 25, 2015. The Board found that the evidence does not warrant a higher rating for his cervical spine disability.

The Board denied service connection for a cervical spine disorder and tinnitus, finding that the evidence did not support a link to service.

The Board has remanded the case due to errors in assessing the severity of the Veteran's headaches prior to March 30, 2015 and during flare-ups. The Veteran is still seeking an initial compensable rating for his cervicogenic headaches.

The Board denied service connection for residuals of cervical spine strain and its secondary effects on the Veteran's upper and lower extremities.,Service connection was also denied for numbness in both upper and lower extremities, all claimed as secondary to the cervical spine condition.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection of cervical strain has been dismissed due to his death.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his chronic cervical strain, residuals of trauma due to inadequate VA examination in June 2017. Another remand is required as the VA examinations conducted in October 2019 and July 2020 did not fully address the September 2019 remand instructions.

The Veteran's hypertension, cervical spine disability, bilateral knee disabilities, and upper extremity radiculopathy are all remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for cervical strain, degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine, left and right lower extremity radiculopathy, and TDIU due to ongoing issues with scheduling VA examinations.