Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2022

The Veteran's claim for hypertension has been withdrawn.,Service connection is granted for cervical radiculopathy of the left upper extremity. The Veteran had cervical radiculopathy of the left upper extremity in proximity to his service-connected cervical spine disability.,Service connection is denied for a left arm disability other than cervical radiculopathy of the left upper extremity, a left hand disability other than cervical radiculopathy of the left upper extremity, a right arm disability, and a right hand disability. The evidence does not support these claims.

The Veteran's cervical spondylosis, radiculopathy of the right and left lower extremities are granted. The Board has remanded for additional examinations to determine if the Veteran's claimed left hip and thoracolumbar spine disabilities are related to service.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to duty-to-assist errors, including obtaining VA treatment records and military personnel file. The cervical spine disability case also requires a new VA opinion.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating of his cervical spine disability was denied due to failure to report for a scheduled VA examination without providing good cause.,His PTSD is rated at the minimum 30 percent, and no higher rating is granted as there are intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of any claimed conditions and finds no evidence to support service connection for these disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient information regarding the severity of the Veteran's intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS) over time, and a retrospective evaluation is needed.

The Board denied service connection for neck and low back disabilities, but granted a TDIU based on PTSD since June 25, 2012.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for a thoracic spine disability and TDIU has been withdrawn. The Board has granted TDIU effective March 13, 2011.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for cervical spine, left shoulder, and right shoulder disabilities have been denied as there is no evidence to support a finding that these conditions are related to his service-connected disabilities. The claim for TDIU has also been denied due to the Veteran not meeting the schedular requirements.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right knee, left knee, right foot, and neck disabilities.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted service connection. The remaining issues are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability is rated at 20 percent, which does not meet the criteria for a higher rating. The TDIU was granted but with an earlier effective date.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including migraine headaches and musculoskeletal conditions, have precluded her from securing or following substantially gainful employment for the entirety of the appeal period. The Board has granted a TDIU based on these service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been dismissed. The Board granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus, finding that reasonable doubt must be resolved in his favor. The Board also remanded the issues of service connection for a back disability and a neck disability due to insufficient medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various spinal and joint disabilities, as well as an acquired psychiatric disorder. The VA will obtain new medical opinions to clarify whether these conditions are related to active service.

The Board has decided to remand several issues related to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including increased ratings for various orthopedic conditions and hypertension. The remand is due to incomplete VA treatment records and the need for new examinations to assess current disability levels.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for higher ratings for his cervical spine, left shoulder, right knee, and left knee disabilities due to inconsistencies in the examination reports. The Veteran will need a new examination to determine the current severity of these conditions.

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

The Board has remanded the claims for heart disability, back disability, neck disability, sciatic nerve conditions in buttocks (left and right lower extremities), lower leg disabilities (left and right lower extremities), upper extremity disabilities (left and right upper extremities), and hemorrhoids due to potential service connection issues.

The Veteran's left shoulder disability is currently rated at 20 percent, which adequately compensates his symptoms and functional impairment.,The Veteran's cervical radiculopathy is currently rated at 20 percent.