Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2022

The Board has granted service connection for a lumbar spine disorder and a cervical spine disorder, finding that the Veteran's current diagnoses are related to his in-service injuries. The claims were previously denied due to lack of evidence establishing continuity of symptomatology.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination, including obtaining updated VA treatment records, determining the nature and etiology of any bilateral hearing loss, identifying any current left shoulder disability, providing an addendum medical opinion regarding the breast condition, and assessing the severity of service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran was found unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities from February 20, 2016, at the earliest.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral knee, hip, right ankle, and cervical spine disabilities due to service-connected conditions. The Veteran's attorney will need to provide updated VA treatment records and Social Security Administration disability benefits claim records. An addendum opinion is needed from an appropriate clinician regarding whether the Veteran's altered gait may have proximately caused or contributed to his knee, hip, right ankle, and cervical spine disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for various spinal and joint disabilities, finding that the evidence did not support a link between these conditions and service.

The Board has dismissed all the claims as they are not currently in a position to be adjudicated due to the Veteran's death.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for bilateral shoulder disability and remanded the claims regarding arthritis of multiple joints and cervical spine arthritis. The case is being returned to VA for further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar and cervical spine conditions due to insufficient evidence in the current examination opinions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were partially granted, with some conditions receiving a higher evaluation and others remaining at the current level. The decision also noted that further examination or remand was needed for TDIU.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for IBS, cervical spine disability, right and left knee disabilities, upper respiratory disability (allergic rhinitis and sinusitis), hypertension, and obstructive sleep apnea have been granted. The remaining issues of service connection for a gastrointestinal disability other than IBS and a right wrist disability are remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to inadequate medical opinions that did not consider the Veteran's reported symptoms and history.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative disc disease and spondylosis of the cervical spine, headaches, not otherwise specified, and residuals of a traumatic brain injury (TBI) due to incomplete treatment records and the need for additional examinations.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and to determine if the Veteran's cervical spine, back, and asthma disabilities are related to his service-connected bilateral knee and/or bilateral foot disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for increased ratings for a cervical spine disorder due to insufficient development and lack of compliance with previous remand directives. The case will be adjudicated again, considering both current and prior versions of relevant diagnostic codes.

The Board has remanded the claims for cervical and lumbosacral strain, as well as service connection for various spinal conditions and radiculopathies. Additional development is required to address the issues on appeal.

The Veteran's spondylosis of the cervical spine is currently rated at 20 percent, and the Board has determined that a higher rating is not warranted.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability is rated at 20 percent since March 1, 2017. The other conditions are not granted as the rating criteria were met.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including a lumbar spine disability and cervical spine disability. The reasons given were that there was no clear evidence of an in-service injury or disease leading to these disabilities, and that any current conditions are not related to service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The hernia disability, abdominal scar, fibromyalgia, acquired psychiatric disability (pending), left shoulder disability (pending), right shoulder disability (pending), left arm disability (pending), right arm disability (pending), left elbow disability (pending), right elbow disability (pending), disability of the small finger, left hand (pending), cervical spine disability (pending), left ankle disability (pending), right ankle disability (pending), left foot skin disability (pending), and right foot skin disability (pending) were not granted. The Veteran's claims for service connection for sinus disability (pending), bilateral eye disability (pending), disability of the left eye cornea (pending), bilateral hearing loss disability (pending), tinnitus (pending), vertigo (pending), headaches (pending), and sleep apnea (pending) are pending.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for his service-connected scar has been denied. The effective dates for the awards of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability and for the right knee scar have also been denied.,Claims for service connection for skin cancer, hypothyroidism, neck/cervical spine disability, and headaches are remanded.