Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2021

The Veteran's appeal for an initial disability rating in excess of 30 percent for cervical spine degenerative arthritis and a TDIU rating due to service-connected disabilities has been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeals prior to the Board issuing a final decision.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of his service-connected cervical and lumbar spine disabilities.

The Board has remanded the appeals for service connection for neck, right knee, left knee, and back disabilities due to inadequate rationale in previous VA opinions. The appeal for hypertension is also remanded.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations conducted in connection with these claims were inadequate and remanded for further development. The Veteran's hip, shoulder, and cervical spine disabilities are being reviewed again to determine their severity since October 1, 2002.

The Board has denied service connection for an eye disability, a psychiatric disorder, a cervical spine disability, a left hip disability, and a right hip disability. The Veteran's claim for a headache disability is remanded.,Service connection was not granted for the claimed conditions as there is no medical evidence linking them to active service.

The Board finds that additional medical opinions are needed to determine if the Veteran's joint pain, gastrointestinal disorder, fatigue, and headaches are due to undiagnosed illness or medically unexplained chronic multisymptom illnesses.,The Board finds that additional medical opinions are needed to determine if the Veteran's ulcerative colitis is related to in-service exposure to environmental hazards or otherwise related to service.,The Board finds that additional medical opinions are needed to determine if the Veteran's fatigue is due to undiagnosed illness or medically unexplained chronic multisymptom illnesses.,The Board finds that an examination is needed to determine if the Veteran's headaches are related to in-service TBI or otherwise related to service.,The Board finds that an examination is needed to determine if the Veteran's right hand wrist strain and left hand wrist strain are related to service.,The Board finds that an examination is needed to determine if the Veteran's disability of the left hand fingers and disability of the right hand fingers are related to service.,The Board finds that an examination is needed to determine if the Veteran's cervical spine disability is related to service.,The RO combined the rating for residuals of concussion with PTSD. The Board finds that a separate rating for residuals of concussion should be considered in light of the Veteran's reported overuse injury and repetitive motion stemming from his service duties.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for cervical spine disability and PTSD due to incomplete records, conflicting opinions, and need for additional examination.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for low back disability, cervical spine disability (including as secondary to a low back disability), left lower extremity radiculopathy, and right lower extremity radiculopathy due to conflicting medical opinions regarding their onset and relationship to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a neck disability, finding that there was no evidence linking his current condition to military service or his service-connected low back disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, coronary artery disease, and a cervical spine disorder have been remanded. The TDIU claim is also pending.

The Board has determined that the claims for increased ratings and TDIU are inextricably intertwined with the Veteran's claims for SSA records and private treatment records. The case is therefore being remanded to obtain these records.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his cervical spine disability, finding that the evidence does not support a higher rating as of December 29, 2020. The case is remanded to obtain a retrospective medical opinion regarding the severity of the disability prior to December 29, 2020.

The Board has found that there has not been substantial compliance with the terms of its August 2019 remand directives and has therefore ordered another remand for further examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's claims for service connection for a cervical spine disability and bilateral foot disability.

The Veteran's service-connected degenerative disease (arthritis) of the lumbar spine is granted, while other claims for various disabilities are denied.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate rationale in a previous VA medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's cervical spine degenerative disc disease. A new examination is required.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for cervical radiculopathy and left shoulder disorder were denied. The Board found that the current assigned ratings adequately reflected the severity of his disabilities.

The Veteran's appeals for various disabilities and ratings have been dismissed due to his withdrawal of the appeal.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, but the claims for bilateral hearing loss, chronic sinus disorder, neck disability, right shoulder disability, left shoulder disability, and right knee disability are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee and neck disabilities due to insufficient consideration of his lay statements regarding in-service events and continuous symptoms since then. The TDIU claim is also being remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prior to November 4, 2019 do not meet the criteria for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.