Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2022

The Board has ordered the case to be remanded due to insufficient medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's neck disability clearly and unmistakably existed prior to service or is otherwise related to it.

The Board denied a higher disability rating for the Veteran's cervical spine strain with degenerative disc disease, finding that his condition more nearly approximated no worse than forward flexion of the cervical spine at least 15 degrees but not greater than 30 degrees when considering pain and functional loss.

The Board has granted earlier effective dates for the awards of service connection for various psoriatic arthritis disabilities, including cervical spine, left hand, right hand, left hip, right hip, and both knees. The rating assigned is 20 percent for each disability.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for headaches has been granted as they are found to be secondary to his cervical spine disability.,Service connection for tuberculosis was denied due to lack of current diagnosis and no evidence of a present disability.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection for his shoulder disabilities and cervical spine disability are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and opinions.

The Veteran's cervical disability is granted as service connected, with the Board resolving all reasonable doubt in his favor.

The Veteran's PTSD and depression are granted as service-connected, but his cervical spine disability and thoracolumbar spine disability are denied.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine. The claims for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and gastrointestinal disability are remanded due to incomplete STRs, inadequate VA medical opinions, and need for updated treatment records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine is proximately due to his service-connected musculoskeletal disabilities, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeal of TDIU is dismissed. The Board also remanded the issue of SMC based on need for aid and attendance or on account of being housebound, due to additional development needed.

The Veteran's service-connected non-cardiac syncope disability with narcolepsy has rendered her unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, warranting TDIU.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals regarding increased ratings for her hip disabilities and vocal cord disorder, as well as her service connection claim for cervical spine disability. The Veteran withdrew her appeal in September 2022.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a psychiatric disability, to include PTSD; a low back disability; and a neck disability due to issues with the VA examinations and lack of private treatment records.

The Board has remanded the claims for a certificate of eligibility for specially adapted housing (SAH), special home adaptation (SHA) grant, and special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for regular aid and attendance due to unclear extent of service-connected disabilities affecting daily activities.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's cervical spine disability did not have its clinical onset during service or within one year of his discharge, and is therefore denied. The issue of peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities is remanded for further evaluation.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability was denied increased ratings prior to March 30, 2009 and since March 30, 2009.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his chronic thoracolumbar spine condition and cervical spine strain was denied. However, the Veteran received a grant of a 50% disability rating as of October 16, 2020 for his chronic thoracolumbar spine condition. His TDIU claim from November 11, 2018 to January 22, 2021 was also granted.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for the claims of neck, right shoulder, left thumb, and middle finger laceration disorders. The low back disorder claim was also dismissed.,The Veteran's hearing loss disability is not service-connected.

The Veteran's claims for cervical and thoracic spine disabilities have been granted, so the issues are dismissed as moot.,The Veteran's lung disability (sarcoidosis with lung calcification and granuloma) and kidney cysts claims require additional medical opinions to determine if they are related to service.

The Board has denied service connection for a left shoulder nerve condition and remanded the issue of service connection for a thoracolumbar spine disability. The Veteran's current conditions are not shown to be related to his service or a service-connected disability.