Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2020

A disability rating of 30 percent, but no more, for a neck disability from August 1, 2005 to November 18, 2012 is granted.,A disability rating in excess of 30 percent for a neck disability from November 19, 2012 is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection of various disabilities, including left knee, right knee, back, neck, sleep disability, and hypertension, are remanded due to insufficient medical opinions. The effective date for TDIU benefits is set at December 1, 2011.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's neck and right shoulder disorders. The claims for service connection are not granted as there is no evidence that the current conditions were caused or aggravated by his service-connected left knee disability.

The Veteran's combined service-connected disabilities do not meet the schedular criteria for Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU), and they have not rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Veteran does not qualify for Special Monthly Compensation based on statutory housebound status.

The Veteran's appeal for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied, and the case is remanded for further development regarding service connection for a neck disability.

The appeal for service connection and increased ratings for various conditions is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and evaluations.

The Veteran's service connection claims for left knee, right knee, and lumbar spine disabilities have been granted. The claim for gastrointestinal disorder (abdominal pain) is remanded due to lack of current diagnosis in the records.

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

The Board has denied service connection for a right shoulder condition, back condition, neck condition, and bilateral foot condition as the evidence does not support that these conditions are related to military service.

The Veteran's right hip disability is granted as secondary to his service-connected right ankle disability.,His cervical spine arthritis was previously rated at 10% and remains at 20% from May 28, 2016.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to a need for additional medical records and examinations. The Veteran is seeking service connection for various disabilities, including cervical spine, right shoulder, right eye, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a neck disability, finding that there is no evidence of a causal relationship between his current neck disabilities and active military service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for thoracolumbar and cervical spine disabilities, finding that there is no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and his active duty service. The Board also found insufficient evidence to grant TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar spine and cervical spine conditions, finding that these conditions are related to his in-service motor vehicle accident.,The evidence shows a continuity of symptoms from the time of the in-service injury until present.

The Veteran's cervical spine strain with degenerative disc disease, status post fusion, was incurred during a motorcycle accident during active service and is granted as direct service connection.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for cervical degenerative joint disease, thoracolumbar degenerative joint disease with compression fracture of T8, left foot scar, right shoulder strain with acromioclavicular joint separation, and left foot status-post tendon rupture with repair with degenerative joint disease of the calcaneus. The remand requires additional medical opinions to address the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss disability has been denied. The claims for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for lumbar spine, cervical joint, right index finger, and right little finger disabilities have also been remanded due to the need for further development.

The Board has granted service connection for a neck disability and headaches as secondary to the neck disability. The Veteran's neck injury during service is considered causally related, and his current headaches are linked to this condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and effective dates have been granted. Service connection was established for radiculopathy, sciatic nerve, right lower extremity on January 29, 2013, with an effective date of that day.

The Veteran's cervical and lumbar spine disabilities, as well as his sciatica, were denied increased disability ratings. The current ratings are 10% for the cervical spine prior to January 9, 2020, and 20% since then; and 10% for the lumbar spine.