Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2020

The Board denied service connection for psychiatric disabilities other than PTSD, PTSD, left shoulder disability, right shoulder disability, neck disability, and both knee disabilities due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.,Service connection was not granted as the Veteran did not have a current diagnosis of any of these conditions at the time of his claims.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for a left shoulder disability, cervical spine disability, and prostate cancer. The decision found that there was no current diagnosis of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for left shoulder, left knee, right knee, left hip, right hip, and cervical spine disabilities due to additional development being necessary.,Service connection is denied for GERD as there is no evidence of a current disability related to active service.

The Board has remanded the claims for a left shoulder disability, low back disability, and neck disability due to insufficient medical opinions.,The Veteran's STRs document multiple instances of complaints and treatment related to his current disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations and service connection were denied. The Board also found that the Veteran’s claim of a separate disability evaluation for his spine was remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for further development due to the submission of additional VA treatment records and the need for a formal application for TDIU.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a neck condition, specifically cervical spine degenerative disc disease (DDD), finding that there is at least an equipoise of evidence in favor of the claim and thus granting service connection based on direct service connection.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings due to failure of VA examinations. The AOJ must make reasonable efforts to accommodate the Veteran with respect to his current confinement and reschedule the requested VA examinations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for cervical spine disorder and eye disorders, including dry eye, glaucoma, and ocular hypertension. The remand requires additional medical opinions or examinations to clarify whether these conditions are related to service-connected disabilities.

The appeal for service connection for Bell’s palsy and a periodontal disability has been dismissed.,The appeals for service connection for cervical spine degenerative arthritis, lumbar spine degenerative disc disease with degenerative arthritis, chronic dizziness, migraine headaches, dyspareunia, cervicitis, a cervical cyst, post coital bleeding, dysmenorrhea, and right wrist metacarpal fracture residuals have been remanded.

The application to reopen the previously denied claim of service connection for a neck disability was granted.,Service connection for tinnitus is granted, with the effective date being determined based on when entitlement arose.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional VA treatment records, specifically those from September 2013 and September 2015.

The Board denied service connection for a neck disability, including arthritis and degenerative disc disease, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.

The Board has determined that further development is needed to obtain VA outpatient records, including those from the VAMC in Minnesota. The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to incomplete record retrieval.

The Veteran's initial rating for his service-connected cervical spine disability was denied, but a separate 20 percent rating was granted for right upper extremity radiculopathy associated with the cervical spine disability.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a left knee disability, neck disability, and left great toe disability due to inadequate opinions from the VA examiner. The Veteran's disabilities are currently under development by the agency of original jurisdiction (AOJ).

The Board has remanded the cases due to additional development being necessary, including obtaining an addendum medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's cervical and lumbar spine disabilities are secondary to his service-connected bilateral hip disabilities.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability was rated from October 2, 2007 to December 15, 2017 at a 10 percent rating. From December 15, 2017 to January 27, 2020, the rating was increased to 20 percent. The Veteran's claim for higher ratings remains pending and is being remanded.,The Veteran's cervical spine disability was rated at a 30 percent from January 27, 2020 onwards. The appeal is currently in process with no decision yet.

The appeal regarding an entitlement to service connection for a cervical spine disability is dismissed.,The appeal regarding whether new and material evidence to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for a bilateral knee disability is dismissed.,The appeal regarding an entitlement to service connection for a right-side, upper neuropathy is dismissed.,The appeal regarding an entitlement to service connection for a right-side, lower neuropathy is dismissed.,New and material evidence to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for a lumbar spine disability has not been received.,New and material evidence to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for multiple sclerosis has not been received.,Evidence submitted subsequent to the January 2005 rating decision that denied service connection for tinnitus is not cumulative or redundant of evidence previously of record, relates to unestablished facts necessary to substantiate the claims, and raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claims for service connection for tinnitus.

The Board has decided to remand the claims of service connection for a neck disability, spinal fusion (claimed as low back disorder), and headaches due to the failure to schedule VA examinations. The Veteran's claims are being returned to the AOJ for further action.