Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2023

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's service connection appeals for left knee and neck disabilities. The Board has also granted service connection for a lumbar disability, but dismissed the appeal for right lower extremity radiculopathy as secondary to the lumbar disability.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the eligibility criteria for financial assistance in acquiring specially adapted housing or a special home adaptation grant due to his ability to walk and use his extremities without significant aid.

The Veteran's cervical spine, right arm radiculopathy, lumbar spine, right hip, and left hip disabilities are granted as service-connected.,His skin condition (chloracne) is denied as not being related to active service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as he does not meet the criteria for a current disability.,Service connection has been granted for tinnitus, with the presumption of service connection due to its chronic nature and continuity of symptoms since service.

The Board has determined that the VA examination and opinion provided in December 2019 were inadequate due to an inaccurate factual premise. The Veteran's service treatment records and post-discharge treatment records document his complaints of neck pain and stiffness, which should be considered by a new examiner.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cervical spine disability is not related to his active-duty service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability is being remanded for an addendum medical opinion to determine if it has been aggravated by his service-connected thoracolumbar spine degenerative disc disease.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability, right and left upper extremity radiculopathy, and lumbar spine disabilities have been granted evaluations ranging from 30 to 50 percent. The effective dates for these evaluations are August 31, 2009, for the cervical spine disability and August 18, 2021, for the upper extremity radiculopathies.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to new evidence obtained from the Department of Defense and deficiencies in previous medical opinions. The case is now pending further examination and reconsideration.

The Board denied the Veteran's motion to revise or reverse the May 8, 2007 rating decision granting service connection for DDC of the thoracic spine and cervical spine due to lack of clear and unmistakable error.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for recurrent cervical spine, right shoulder, and right hip disabilities due to incomplete verification of her National Guard duty records.

The Board has determined that the VA medical opinions obtained following the October 2022 decision were inadequate and requires further remand to obtain adequate retrospective findings for limitation of motion.

The Board has remanded several claims for additional development, including service connection for various disabilities and an initial rating for lumbar back pain.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability is granted as service-connected. The initial evaluation for left elbow limitation of flexion and extension remains at 20 percent, with a separate 20 percent rating for impairment of supination and pronation.,Service connection for pes planus (flat feet) is remanded.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been received to reopen the previously denied claims of service connection for cervical fusion C3-C7 and bilateral hearing loss. The claims are now remanded due to a duty-to-assist error.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for cervical and lumbar spine conditions have been withdrawn by the appellant's representative. As a result, these issues are dismissed.

The Veteran withdrew her appeals for service connection of cervical and lumbar spine conditions, leading to their dismissal.

The Veteran's back disability, sciatica of the right and left lower extremities, and neck disability are all granted as service-connected.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbar strain, cervical strain, right hip status post arthroplasty, left hip status post arthroplasty, right foot arthritis, hammertoes, flat foot, tailor's bunion, metatarsalgia, and neurological disturbances, as well as bilateral hearing loss. The relationship to service is found in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD with anxiety and depression, bilateral hearing loss, degenerative disc and joint disease of the lumbar spine with muscle spasms, cervical spine, left knee arthritis, right knee arthritis, and left lower extremity varicose veins are all granted. The service connection is determined to be direct.