Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2024

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, initially claimed as PTSD, is granted. The claims of service connection for sleep apnea, a respiratory disorder, a digestive disorder, and a cervical spine disorder are remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinion regarding the Veteran's cervical spine disability, which was incurred in or related to service.

The Board has dismissed all claims due to the Veteran's death, as it does not have jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of these appeals.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and inadequate medical opinions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of his cervical spine condition, finding that there is no evidence to support a link between his current condition and his military service.

The Board has remanded the claims due to duty-to-assist errors that occurred prior to the rating decision on appeal, including incomplete service personnel records and inadequate medical opinions.

The Board denied service connection for prostate cancer, fibromyalgia, reflex sympathetic dystrophy, chronic arthritis, left ankle disability, cervical spine (neck) disability, lumbar spine disability, radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, and radiculopathy of the right upper extremity as there is no evidence of an in-service injury or event related to these conditions.

The Board has granted an earlier effective date of February 24, 2016 for the Veteran's service connection of cervical spine intervertebral disc syndrome, right arm cervical radiculopathy, and left arm cervical radiculopathy.

The Board has denied service connection for allergic rhinitis due to its preexistence prior to service and not being aggravated by service. The remaining issues of sleep apnea, cervical spine disorder, and low back disorder are remanded for further development.

The Board has denied service connection for right wrist, left wrist, and cervical spine disabilities due to the lack of current disability evidence. The Veteran's claims for acquired psychiatric disorder, lumbar spine disability, bilateral knee disabilities, bilateral foot disability (claimed as flatfeet), sleep apnea, and skin condition are remanded.,The Board has denied service connection for right wrist, left wrist, cervical spine, and lumbar spine disabilities due to the lack of current disability evidence. The Veteran's claims for acquired psychiatric disorder, bilateral knee disabilities, bilateral foot disability (claimed as flatfeet), sleep apnea, and skin condition are remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for kidney disability, left knee disability, low back disability, and neck disability due to potential duty-to-assist errors prior to the January 2023 decision. The VA is required to obtain relevant Community Care records from VistA Imaging system and provide the Veteran with appropriate examinations to determine the etiology of his disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for fibromyalgia, bilateral neurological disability of the upper extremities, and various evaluations for his lower extremity radiculopathies were denied. The Veteran's dominant wrist condition was also denied an evaluation in excess of 30 percent.,Service connection for fibromyalgia was not granted as there was no diagnosis of this condition.

The Board has granted service connection for left knee DJD, right knee DJD, lumbar spine DDD, and cervical spine DDD as aggravated by the Veteran's service-connected bilateral pes planus.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation as of January 10, 2020. His TDIU claim is granted with an effective date of that day.

The Board has denied service connection for a bilateral shoulder disability, neck disability, bilateral ankle disability, and bilateral knee disability due to the lack of current diagnosed disabilities related to these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for cervical spine and left hip disabilities, finding that these conditions are related to the Veteran's active service.

The Veteran's appeals regarding TBI, cervical spine strain, tinnitus, and lumbosacral spine strain were dismissed because the appeal was not timely filed.

The Veteran's appeal of his claims for service connection for various conditions was dismissed because the Notice of Disagreement (NOD) was filed more than a year after the most recent decision denying those claims.

The Veteran's left knee osteoarthritis and cervical degenerative disc disease are granted as service-connected.,Hyperlipidemia is granted as secondary to major depressive disorder. Lipomas of the chest and right middle back, and interstitial lung disease (claimed as asbestosis) are denied.

The Board has granted service connection for a right knee disorder as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected left knee disability. The other issues on appeal have been remanded.