Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2021

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine.,Service connection was denied for GERD, as there is no evidence linking it to service or a service-connected condition.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted from July 31, 2006. The Board also referred the issue of TDIU on an extraschedular basis prior to July 31, 2006 for further review.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for cervical strain, pes planus (flat feet/ fallen arches), and degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine have been granted. The cervical strain claim was reopened due to new evidence linking it to a service injury. Pes planus is considered directly related to service. Cervical strain is found to be secondary to his service-connected back disability.

The Veteran's tinnitus was granted service connection. The issues of bilateral hearing loss, neck disability, and bilateral plantar fasciitis are remanded for further development.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals, including the claims for service connection for a neck disability and increased rating claims for various disabilities. The Board dismissed all remaining issues on appeal.

The Board denied service connection for a left shoulder strain and a cervical strain, finding that the Veteran's current disabilities are not related to in-service injuries or diseases.,The Board granted an effective date of April 4, 2016 for a 70 percent rating for PTSD.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for cervical and thoracic spine disorders due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their relationship to service. The VA will provide new examinations to determine if these conditions are directly related to his military service or secondary to his service-connected lumbar spine disability.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for Barrett's Esophagus, severance of prior grants of service connection for degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine and cervical spine, and whether GAD should be severed from service. The examiner is requested to provide an opinion on whether the Veteran's thoracolumbar and cervical spine conditions were aggravated by INACDUTRA.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to adjudicate the Veteran's claims, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling additional VA examinations.

The Board denied the Veteran's petitions to reopen previously denied claims for service connection for various disabilities, including PTSD. The claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD) was remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is caused by his service-connected sinusitis.,There is no evidence of a current seizure disorder during the appeal period, and therefore service connection for a seizure disorder is denied.,Pneumonia is remanded as there are no records documenting treatment during the appeal period. The Veteran should provide authorized records from any physician or facility where he received treatment.,Tremor disability is remanded as the Veteran's lay statements concerning hand tremors in service need to be addressed by a VA examiner.,Back and neck disabilities are remanded as the Veteran's lay statements about back pain during service need to be considered. The Veteran should provide authorized records from any physician or facility where he received treatment for his radiculopathy.,Bilateral lower extremity and upper extremity radiculopathies are remanded in conjunction with the Veteran's neck and back disabilities, as they are inextricably intertwined.

The Board has determined that further clarification is required prior to a decision on the merits of the Veteran's claims due to internal inconsistencies in previous opinions and the need for additional evidence.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability, prior to December 17, 2019, was found to meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 10 percent. However, after that date, it did not warrant any higher ratings.

The Board has remanded the cases due to the need for an addendum opinion addressing whether the Veteran's cervical spine and lumbar spine disabilities are secondary to his service-connected bilateral ankle or foot disabilities.

The Veteran's GERD is granted as secondary to service-connected PTSD. The cervical spine disorder, hypertension, and obstructive sleep apnea are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claims for cervical neck and bilateral hip disabilities have been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew her appeal. The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and bipolar disorder, has been granted.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability is currently rated at 20 percent, effective January 8, 2020. The Board found that the evidence does not support a higher rating for any period.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations and opinions provided were not adequate to address the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral shoulder disability and cervical spine disability. The case is being remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for neck, left knee, right knee, and left foot nerve disabilities due to service. The VA will obtain any outstanding records and provide addendum opinions regarding the relationship of these conditions to service.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection and rating increases have been dismissed. The Board has remanded several issues including right foot neuropathy, left foot neuropathy, sleep apnea, cervical spine disability, lumbar spine disability, bilateral primary open angle glaucoma, chronic fatigue syndrome, and lower extremity radiculopathy.