Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2020

The Veteran's claimed conditions were denied as they are not related to service or secondary to a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's petition to reopen his claims for service connection for PTSD, depression, and an unspecified anxiety disorder was granted.,The Veteran's petitions to reopen his claims for service connection for a cervical spine disorder and GERD were also granted.

The Board denied service connection for a neck/cervical spine disability and a headache disability, finding the Veteran's statements regarding these conditions were not credible. The Board also found that his service-connected knee disability did not cause or aggravate his headaches.,Service connection was denied as there is no evidence of chronic symptoms during service or within one year post-service, and the medical opinions were against a nexus to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a cervical spine disability and fibromyalgia, as well as her increased rating claims for bilateral hip disabilities. The Board found that there was no evidence of an in-service injury or disease resulting in these conditions, nor any evidence linking them to a service-connected condition.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee, left knee, right shoulder, left shoulder, and neck disabilities due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal includes multiple issues related to his service-connected and non-service-connected disabilities, including ratings for various conditions. The AOJ is instructed to obtain the Veteran’s SSA records and update VA treatment records before readjudicating these claims.

The Board denied service connection for cervical spine, lumbar spine, and bilateral knee disabilities due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's military service.,The VA examinations found no in-service injury or diagnosis related to the current disabilities.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development due to insufficient opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's current back, neck, and bilateral knee disabilities and his active duty service.

The claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran’s death is remanded due to a need for an additional medical opinion. The criteria for DIC under 38 U.S.C. § 1318 are not met as a matter of law.

The Veteran's lumbar and cervical spine disabilities were granted initial ratings of 40 percent, effective prior to June 25, 2019. The right shoulder disability was denied a rating in excess of 20 percent, while the left shoulder disability received an initial rating of 20 percent. TDIU was granted.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for cervical spine disability, lumbosacral spine disability, right knee disability, and left knee disability due to inadequate VA examinations. The Veteran contends that her current disabilities are related to her in-service injuries or a service-connected condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination records, but the preponderance of evidence is against granting higher ratings for the Veteran's cervical spine, knee, and ankle conditions.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the claims of service connection for various conditions, including low back disorder, cervical spine disorder, neurological disorders of extremities, and a heart disorder. The VA will obtain medical opinions to determine if these conditions are related to service or other factors.

The Board dismissed the appeals for service connection of cervical spine condition, dental condition, radiculopathy of right upper extremity, and radiculopathy of left upper extremity due to lack of jurisdiction.

The Board has denied service connection for cervical spine, left shoulder, right knee, and left knee disabilities due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to service or any presumptive exposure.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic lumbar strain due to an inadequate October 2009 VA medical examination opinion. The examiner did not address a reported in-service back strain episode and an addendum opinion is needed.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for muscle tension type headaches and severe multilevel cervical spine degenerative joint and disc disease have been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeals.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate support for the denial of service connection for a cervical spine disability, as it was not clear whether an examination addressing direct service connection had been completed. The Veteran's claim is now pending again.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's spine disability, specifically her cervical spondylosis, degenerative joint disease, and arthritis of the spine. The Veteran is required to provide VA treatment records from the Dallas VA Medical Center and undergo a VA examination.

The Board denied service connection for a gastrointestinal disability including GERD and a hiatal hernia, as well as a neck disorder. The evidence did not show that these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by military service.,Service connection was also denied for the Veteran's back disability and right ulnar neuropathy.