Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2020

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed disabilities, including back disability, bilateral leg disabilities, right foot and ankle disabilities, right elbow and wrist disabilities, left rib fracture, neck disability, scalp laceration, and migraine headaches. The claims are being remanded for these purposes.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of left knee, back, and neck disabilities as secondary to his service-connected right knee disability.,There is no evidence linking the Veteran’s service-connected right knee disability to his left knee, back, or neck disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional VA medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's cervical spine disorder, including whether it is related to his service-connected kyphoscoliosis.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including scheduling of VA examinations.

The Board denied service connection for right shoulder strain, DDD of the cervical spine, and DDD of the lumbar spine. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions began during active service or were related to an in-service injury.,Service connection was also denied on direct basis as there was no showing of chronic disability within one year post-service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for left shoulder and neck disabilities due to a lack of VA examinations. The AOJ is instructed to attempt rescheduling these exams.

The Veteran's ratings for cervical intervertebral disc syndrome involving C5-6, left and right upper extremities were reduced. The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence of actual improvement in his condition.

The Board has remanded the claims for low back strain, mood disorder, and cervical spine condition due to inadequate examinations and need for additional evidence.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The lumbar spine disability was rated at 10% prior to January 26, 2012, and at 20% since March 1, 2012. The left lower extremity radiculopathy, cervical spine disability, right upper extremity radiculopathy, and left upper extremity radiculopathy were all rated at 20%. An effective date prior to November 3, 2011, for the increased evaluation of lumbar spine disability was denied. The extension of a temporary total rating for convalescence following lumbar spine surgery beyond March 1, 2012, was also denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left shoulder condition and a cervical spine (neck) condition, including as secondary to the left shoulder condition. The case is being returned to the RO for further development.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and consideration due to incomplete medical opinions in previous decisions.

The Board has remanded several issues related to service connection for various conditions, including cervical spine disorder, left hip disorder, right hip disorder, acquired psychiatric disorder, headache disorder, sleep apnea, and hypertension. The appeal is not about the rating or effective date of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to new evidence received after a previous SSOC was issued.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to address the Veteran's claims for service connection and TDIU due to neck and right knee disabilities, as well as his lay statements regarding ongoing symptoms since in-service accidents.

The Board denied service connection for arthritis of the cervical spine and radiculopathy of the upper left extremity as secondary to a cervical spine disability due to lack of evidence showing in-service incurrence or continuity of symptomatology.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions regarding his cervical spine and left shoulder disabilities. The claims are now before the Board for further review.

The Veteran's service connection claims for various disabilities, including bilateral eye disability and shoulder disabilities, were denied as there is no competent medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service. The earliest post-service records of the claimed disabilities are over four decades after discharge from active duty.

The Board has granted service connection for a lower back disability and an initial rating of 10 percent for C6-C7 spondylosis (neck disability) prior to August 26, 2015. The appeal is denied for any higher ratings.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical evidence on whether the Veteran's current numbness in her hands is related to service. The VA examiner needs to provide an opinion regarding the cause of the Veteran’s hand numbness and its relation to service.

Service connection has been granted for cervical spine disability, right and left upper extremity radiculopathy. Service connection is denied for hypertension.,An increased rating of 20 percent for left lower extremity radiculopathy before March 23, 2020 was granted.