Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2020

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, chronic lumbar spine disorder, chronic cervical spine disorder, and chronic knee disorders due to lack of evidence showing a link between these conditions and the Veteran's active service.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability was rated at 20 percent prior to December 30, 2015 and increased to 20 percent as of December 30, 2015. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for any period.

The Board denied service connection for left shoulder, right shoulder, cervical spine, and thoracolumbar spine disabilities due to a lack of evidence showing these conditions were incurred in or are otherwise causally related to service.,The appellant's service treatment records did not document the reported injuries, and post-service private clinical records attributed his current disabilities to work-related causes.

The Veteran's lumbar and cervical spine disabilities were initially rated at 10 percent prior to August 5, 2019. Effective from that date, the ratings for both conditions have been increased to 20 percent.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been denied. The application to reopen the PTSD claim was denied on the merits, and the other claims were also denied.

The Board denied service connection for a cervical spine disorder, finding that the current condition is not related to service or secondary to the right posterior tibialis injury. The claim was also denied for an increased evaluation of the right posterior tibialis injury.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected asthma aggravated her cervical spine disorder. The Veteran will need a new VA medical opinion that considers her medical history and relevant literature.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board finds that it does not meet or approximate criteria for a higher rating under any applicable diagnostic code.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral knee disability, cervical spine disability, lumbar spine disability, peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities and right upper extremity, hypertension, and arthritis.,There is no evidence showing that any of these conditions began during active service or within one year after separation.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability was granted a 40 percent rating from November 2, 2018 to July 31, 2019. The cervical and lumbar spine disabilities were denied increased ratings prior to August 1, 2019, while the right and left knee disabilities were denied initial ratings in excess of 10 percent.

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to incomplete remand directives. The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are being evaluated for their potential impact on his claimed conditions.

The Veteran's service connection claims for chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, heart condition, hypertension, right arm shaking (Gulf War Syndrome), left arm shaking (Gulf War Syndrome), dizziness, pain/tenderness on jaw, cheek bones and forehead (myalgia), headaches, sinusitis, non-allergic vasomotor rhinitis, PTSD with associated depression and anxiety, right shoulder pain, left shoulder pain, trochanteric pain syndrome of the right hip, trochanteric pain syndrome of the left hip, degenerative arthritis of the right knee, degenerative arthritis of the left knee, degenerative arthritis of the right ankle with ankle strain and calcaneal spur, left ankle strain, cervical spondylosis, lumbosacral strain, erectile dysfunction (Gulf War Syndrome), and tonsillitis have all been denied.,The Veteran's service connection claims for chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, heart condition, hypertension, right arm shaking (Gulf War Syndrome), left arm shaking (Gulf War Syndrome), dizziness, pain/tenderness on jaw, cheek bones and forehead (myalgia), headaches, sinusitis, non-allergic vasomotor rhinitis, PTSD with associated depression and anxiety, right shoulder pain, left shoulder pain, trochanteric pain syndrome of the right hip, trochanteric pain syndrome of the left hip, degenerative arthritis of the right knee, degenerative arthritis of the left knee, degenerative arthritis of the right ankle with ankle strain and calcaneal spur, left ankle strain, cervical spondylosis, lumbosacral strain, erectile dysfunction (Gulf War Syndrome), and tonsillitis have all been denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a relationship between any of these conditions and his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for cervical and lumbar spine disabilities, as well as bilateral knee disabilities (claimed as degenerative arthritis), based on continuity of symptoms since service.

The Board has remanded the claims for initial compensable ratings for cervical spine degenerative arthritis, tension headaches, bilateral shoulder and bilateral knee scars due to procedural issues with representation.

The Veteran's appeal to reopen a claim of service connection for a left knee disability was denied.,Service connection for a cervical spine disability and lung disorder were both denied.,Ratings for right knee arthritis with limitation of motion and instability were remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the schedular requirements for a TDIU, and the evidence does not support finding that he was unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected conditions.

The Board has remanded the case for a VA neurologic examination to determine if the Veteran has upper extremity neurological disabilities associated with his service-connected cervical spine arthritis and to assess their severity.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete compliance with prior remand orders and for additional development of evidence, including obtaining VA treatment records and medical opinions regarding the etiology and secondary service connection of the Veteran's cervical spine disability.

The Board denied service connection for cervical dysplasia as there is no evidence of a current disability related to the condition.