Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2022

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for a cervical spine condition, finding that there is no evidence to support that his current condition began during or was related to his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for right shoulder disability, cervical spine disability, and bilateral knee disability. The disabilities are found to be at least as likely as not related to in-service injuries.

The Board has granted service connection for left shoulder degenerative joint disease, intervertebral disc syndrome and spinal stenosis of the cervical spine, and residuals, fracture of anterolateral ribs #6 and #7.,All three conditions are found to be related to in-service injuries sustained during active duty.

The Board has dismissed all appeals for increased ratings and earlier effective dates due to the Veteran's withdrawal of his claims.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss, left ear hearing loss, and a neck disability have all been denied. The claim for gastritis was partially granted with a rating of 70% from March 1, 2018 to October 15, 2019, but then denied again from October 16, 2019. The Veteran's claim for dysthymia has been denied since October 16, 2019.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for neck disability, low back disability, acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD), and traumatic brain injury due to incomplete opinions from previous VA examiners. The claims are now pending with the AOJ.

The Board denied service connection for a neck disability, including cervical strain status post cervical fusion surgery, finding that the Veteran's reported history of repeated in-service injuries to the head and neck is not supported by the probative evidence of record. The Board also found no nexus relationship between the reported in-service neck injury episodes and the current cervical disability.

The Board has remanded the claims for a thoracolumbar spine disability, cervical spine disability, sleep apnea syndrome, and bilateral foot disability due to additional evidentiary development being required.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a bilateral hip condition, bilateral leg condition, and cervical spine condition due to unclear evidence regarding their etiology.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for left thigh limitation of flexion, lumbar spine disability, and cervical spine disability due to potential worsening since previous examinations. The Veteran will need to undergo new VA examinations to determine current severity and etiology.

The Veteran's low back disability is granted a 20% rating beginning December 19, 2011 and denied any higher ratings. The neck disability is granted a 10% rating from August 18, 2017 onwards. The right shoulder disability remains at a 20% rating.,The Veteran's radiculopathy of the left upper and middle radicular group is granted a 30% rating beginning March 29, 2019.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and an addendum opinion to address whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities have caused or aggravated his current thoracic, cervical, and upper extremity peripheral neuropathy disorders.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a neck disability and bilateral foot disability due to inadequate medical opinions in February 2020. The case must be remanded to obtain new medical opinions that comply with the Joint Motion for Remand (JMR) and the May 2019 Board remand.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete evaluations and lack of consideration of his extensive history of airborne training during active duty.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to incomplete records and lack of information regarding employment status.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and outstanding records. The Veteran is seeking service connection for various conditions, including liver condition, low back disability, neck disability, fatigue (claimed as chronic fatigue syndrome), sinusitis, and allergic rhinitis.

The Board has remanded the cases due to incomplete information from a previous VA examination, specifically regarding range of motion testing and pain levels. The Veteran's cervical spine disability and left upper extremity radiculopathy need further evaluation.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's back and neck disabilities, finding that these conditions are related to his in-service explosion. The evidence is at least in equipoise regarding whether the injuries occurred during service.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to address the service connection claims for various disabilities, including hydrocephalus and its related conditions. The remand will allow for further examination and opinion regarding whether any of these conditions were caused or aggravated by events during active service.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability is rated at 30 percent, and the Board has remanded the issue of increased rating for her cervical spine disability.