Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2022

The Veteran's asthma is granted as service-connected due to presumed exposure to burn pits during his service in the Persian Gulf War.,Service connection for right ankle and neck disabilities is denied because there is no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for neck, back, and right knee disabilities as secondary to residuals of a shell fragment wound (SFW) of the right posterior thigh, muscle group XIII. The decision is based on the lack of current evidence of these conditions during the appeal period.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various musculoskeletal disabilities, including a neck disability, bilateral knee disabilities, and bilateral shoulder disabilities. The Veteran's claim for TDIU is also being remanded due to its inextricability with these service connection claims.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment, warranting a TDIU for the period from October 1, 2013 to October 16, 2017. The case is remanded for further evaluation of his A&A claim.

The Veteran's headaches associated with her cervical spine disability are rated at the highest possible level of 50 percent, based on very frequent completely prostrating and prolonged attacks productive of severe economic inadaptability.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for his service-connected cervical spine disorder is being remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations and clarification of his claims.

The Veteran's cervical strain with degenerative disc disease is remanded for further development, including service connection for idiopathic neuropathy. The rating for the cervical spine disability prior to September 20, 2021, and from September 20, 2021 onwards, remains denied.

The Veteran's claims for residuals of a right hip injury and cervical spine injury are being remanded to obtain a VA examination. The examiner will assess whether these conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's appeal for various disability ratings and effective dates has been dismissed due to his withdrawal of the appeal.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of lumbar and cervical spine disabilities as secondary to his service-connected bilateral knee disability, finding that there is no medical evidence linking these conditions to his in-service injuries or aggravation due to his service-connected knees. The TDIU claim was also denied as the Veteran does not meet the schedular requirements.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability is rated at 30 percent, but the Board found that a higher rating was not warranted due to lack of unfavorable ankylosis.,Left upper extremity radiculopathy is now rated at 70 percent from June 1, 2021.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for neck and low back disabilities due to inadequate medical opinions provided in previous decisions.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a sleep disorder to include insomnia. The matter of the assignment of a disability rating is inextricably intertwined with the issue of entitlement to a TDIU for the period prior to May 26, 2013. Further development and adjudication are needed regarding the Veteran's neck disability claim.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals before the Board, thus all claims are dismissed.

The Board has remanded several service connection claims for further development, including those related to the Veteran's feet, hands, cervical spine, shoulders, prostate, and anemia. The claims are being returned due to incomplete or insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's claims for effective dates prior to February 14, 2011 are remanded due to the need to locate missing records and determine when the claims were filed.,The Veteran's claims for effective dates prior to August 31, 2012 and June 18, 2013 are also remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for higher ratings due to insufficient evidence, and no rating is granted at this time.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a cervical spine disability was granted, and his claim for an increased rating for a scalp scar is remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment prior to February 10, 2015. Effective May 29, 2013, the Veteran was granted SMC based on his left knee disability.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment prior to December 31, 2006.