Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2024

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right shoulder, left shoulder, cervical spine, and lumbar spine disabilities are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's neck disability is caused by or aggravated by his service-connected low back disability.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for bilateral pes planus with plantar fasciitis, cervical strain with intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS), left ankle sprain, right ankle sprain, and left upper extremity radiculopathy have all been denied. The highest schedular rating has already been assigned for each condition.

The Veteran's neck disability and acquired psychiatric disorder are not found to be related to his military service.,The appeal for a back disability is remanded.

The Veteran's right knee osteoarthritis and cervical spine disability have been granted service connection, with a 20 percent rating for the right knee condition. The TDIU claim is also remanded.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating on his left knee disability has been withdrawn. Service connection is granted for asthma, but the Board finds that there are pre-decisional duty to assist errors regarding service connection for lumbar spine, cervical spine, bilateral shoulder, and right knee disabilities.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection of neck, left knee, and right knee disabilities as they have already been granted in a previous rating decision. The claims of erectile dysfunction and bilateral leg numbness are remanded.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection and increased rating were dismissed as the requests for extensions of time to file appeal forms were denied, and no good cause was shown.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to a duty to assist error. The Veteran's back injury is presumed to have occurred prior to service, but it is unclear if the preexisting condition worsened during service.

The Veteran's initial ratings for residual cervical spine scar, left upper and right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, and left lower and right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy have been granted. The Veteran is now in receipt of a higher rating for his left upper and right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy since August 20, 2019.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for cervical spine degenerative disc disease, finding that there was no evidence of a chronic condition during or within one year after service and no causal relationship to service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not result in the physical loss or permanent loss of use of one or both hands or feet, and therefore, he does not qualify for financial assistance in purchasing an automobile or other conveyance or adaptive equipment.

The Board denied effective dates prior to April 18, 2021 for the grants of service connection for various disabilities due to a lack of evidence showing an intent to file a claim before that date.

The Veteran's appeal for a rating in excess of 50 percent for his psychiatric disorder is dismissed. The Board also remanded the claims for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine, left hand degenerative arthritis, and right hand degenerative arthritis.

The Veteran withdrew all issues on appeal, including those related to increased disability rating for bilateral hearing loss, effective date for DEA benefits, PTSD disability rating, cervical spine disorder service connection, and TDIU mootness.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for left shoulder, right shoulder, and neck conditions due to inadequate etiology opinions based on the Veteran's lay statements of continuous symptoms since service.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The Veteran's current disabilities are related to in-service events, with no evidence contradicting the opinions provided by medical professionals.

The Veteran's back brace caused wear and tear on his clothing, but he does not have a service-connected elbow disability or skin condition requiring the use of topical steroid cream. The Board has granted an annual clothing allowance for the back brace in 2020.

The Veteran's claims for cervical spine DDD, right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, and anterior neck scar service connection were denied. The effective dates for these awards are fixed in accordance with the facts found.

The Board denied service connection for cataracts, finding no in-service symptoms or diagnosis of the condition and no link to the service-connected heart disability. Service connection was also denied for cervical spine degenerative arthritis and IVDS due to lack of evidence of a chronic injury during service.,A higher initial disability rating for the heart disability from August 18, 2022, was already adjudicated in this decision.