Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2021

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for back, neck, left ankle, right ankle, and OSA disabilities due to incomplete examination opinions and lack of associated third-party statements.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as he does not have a current disability.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for an eye condition, to include as secondary to diabetes mellitus, and for a cervical spine condition are remanded. The issue of service connection for migraine headaches (secondary to the cervical spine condition) is also remanded.,Service connection for migraine headaches will be held in abeyance pending resolution of the other issues.

The Veteran was granted a rating of 20 percent for cervical radiculopathy of the right upper extremity from July 10, 2006 to April 23, 2012.,From July 7, 2011 to July 13, 2016, the Veteran's left upper extremity radiculopathy was rated at 20 percent. From July 14, 2016 to June 9, 2020, it was rated noncompensable.,The Veteran's cervical spondylosis from June 7, 2011 to May 24, 2016 and August 1, 2016 to present was granted a rating of 20 percent.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding the Appellant's periods of active duty and OCS from June 1991 to March 1992. The VA is required to verify these dates and provide an addendum medical opinion on whether her claimed conditions are related to service, including aggravation during OCS.

The Board has determined that there is at least an equipoise of evidence regarding the relationship between the Veteran's cervical spine degenerative arthritis and his service injury, thus granting service connection for this condition. The claim for thoracolumbar spine disability was denied as there is no credible evidence linking current symptoms to service.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for cervical spine osteoarthritis prior to October 8, 2019, and in excess of 20 percent thereafter is being remanded due to the need for additional development including a new VA examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee and cervical spine disabilities due to outstanding treatment records that need to be obtained.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient examination regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's neck disability, including whether it is related to service-connected bilateral knee disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's cervical spine disability, finding that it is at least as likely as not related to his in-service motor vehicle accident.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a cervical spine disability, finding that there is no evidence to support an in-service injury or disease and that any current condition is more likely due to natural aging processes rather than military service.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain was rated at 40% from April 26, 2010 to April 26, 2015. The Board granted TDIU effective January 1, 2012.

The Board has granted service connection for cervical radiculopathy of the right and left upper extremities as secondary to service-connected cervical spine degenerative arthritis.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating of her cervical spine disability, tension headaches, and lumbar spine disability due to inadequate statements of reasons or bases in previous decisions. The claims are being remanded for further development including new examinations and addendum opinions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for lumbar and cervical spine disorders due to a lack of adequate examination regarding the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Board denied service connection for a cervical spine condition, finding that the Veteran's current cervical spine conditions are not related to her military service. The issue of entitlement to TDIU due to service-connected disabilities is remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for cervical spine degenerative disc disease, lumbar degenerative disc disease, and headaches due to inadequate medical opinions in previous examinations.

The Board denied service connection for cervical spine, thoracolumbar spine, left hip, and right knee disabilities due to lack of evidence showing these conditions were incurred in or related to service.,The Veteran's current diagnoses are not considered to be directly related to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU rating was reasonably construed as including claims for service connection of multiple conditions. The effective date for the TDIU rating is set at November 4, 2011.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 30 percent for the Veteran's cervical spine disability, finding that the evidence did not show unfavorable ankylosis warranting a higher rating.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the Veteran's cervical and lumbar spine disabilities, specifically their onset during service or relation to a left shoulder injury.