Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2020

The Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar and cervical spine disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining his service treatment records and a new VA examination.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims for service connection of his bilateral foot disability, and denied his claims for service connection of his bilateral shoulder, hand and finger, neck, left elbow, and knee disabilities. The Board also remanded the issue of service connection for a sleep disturbance/insomnia.

The Board has granted service connection for a cervical spine disorder, finding that the Veteran's current condition began during his military service and is related to physical requirements of military service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a neck disorder as secondary to his service-connected back disability. The decision finds that reasonable doubt must be resolved in favor of the Veteran, and thus service connection is granted.

The Board has remanded the claim for a cervical spine disability with right-sided neck pain, as it is unclear whether the condition was caused by service or if it is aggravated by the service-connected right shoulder disability. The case will be reviewed again to determine the appropriate service connection.

The Veteran's claims for an initial compensable evaluation for bilateral pes planus and service connection for hypertension, a psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, cervical spine disorders, lumbar spine disorders, eye disorders, ingrown toenails, and skin disorders are being remanded due to the need for additional development.,Service connection is being remanded for hypertension as secondary to diabetes mellitus and coronary artery disease. The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder other than PTSD is also being remanded.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for cervical spine disorders, lumbar spine disorders, eye disorders, ingrown toenails, and skin disorders are being remanded due to the need for additional development.,Service connection is being remanded for bilateral pes planus. The Veteran's claim for hypertension as secondary to diabetes mellitus and coronary artery disease remains on appeal.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for cervical spine disorders, lumbar spine disorders, eye disorders, ingrown toenails, and skin disorders are being remanded due to the need for additional development.,Service connection is being remanded for hypertension as secondary to diabetes mellitus and coronary artery disease. The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder other than PTSD remains on appeal.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for cervical spine disorders, lumbar spine disorders, eye disorders, ingrown toenails, and skin disorders are being remanded due to the need for additional development.,Service connection is being remanded for bilateral pes planus. The Veteran's claim for hypertension as secondary to diabetes mellitus and coronary artery disease remains on appeal.

The Board has granted service connection for a thoracolumbar spine disability, but the cervical spine disability remains under review.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's cervical spine condition and his service-connected cold injury residuals of the feet.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine and remanded the issue of service connection for cervical spine disorder due to potential secondary relationship.

The Veteran's residuals of a right thumb fracture are rated at 10 percent effective the date of service connection. Service connection for cervical spine disability and lumbar spine disability is denied.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and denied service connection for lumbar spine disability, cervical spine disability, and acquired psychiatric disorder. The Veteran's tinnitus is related to his military service. His lumbar and cervical spine disabilities are not related to his military service. His acquired psychiatric disorder is not related to his military service.

Service connection for PTSD is granted. Initial disability ratings in excess of 10 percent are denied for left upper extremity radiculopathy, lumbar spine disability, and cervical spine disability.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations for the Veteran's cervical and lumbar spine disabilities were inadequate due to not fully complying with Correia v. McDonald, 28 Vet. App. 158 (2016), and thus remanded these claims.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for PTSD was withdrawn. The Board granted a TDIU based on the Veteran’s service-connected disabilities preventing him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment. The appeals for increased ratings for radiculopathy of the left upper extremity and degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine are remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for cervical spine disorder and peripheral neuropathy of the left upper extremity due to the need for additional medical examinations.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied as his conditions did not meet the criteria for higher disability ratings under the applicable rating schedule.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative disc disease, cervical spine and right upper extremity radiculopathy have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not show a relationship between these conditions and active service.,For the rating claim, the Veteran was granted a temporary total rating based on bilateral lumbar decompressive laminectomy surgery from January 1, 2009 to January 31, 2009. The Veteran's claims for effective dates have also been denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete development of records related to whether the Veteran was required to pay for his medical expenses while incarcerated. The VA needs to obtain non-medical evidence from the Oklahoma Department of Corrections and other entities.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss and degenerative joint disease of the cervical spine have been granted service connection. The remaining issues, including bilateral ankle disability, lumbar spine disability, and headache disability, are remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection and secondary service connection for his cervical spine condition, finding that there is no evidence of a direct relationship to service or service-connected conditions.