Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2024

The Board has determined that the Veteran's neck disability, acquired psychiatric disability (to include insomnia), bilateral foot disability, and back disability are not service-connected. The stomach disability is remanded due to potential exposure at Camp Lejeune.,Service connection for a stomach disability is remanded as there is evidence of participation in a toxic exposure risk activity (TERA) during service.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine and radiculopathy of the bilateral upper extremities as due to active service, including a fall on ice in January 2019.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, hypertension, and a neck disability. The remaining issues of service connection for right ankle, left ankle, left knee, right knee, rib, left leg varicose veins, and right leg varicose veins are remanded for further development.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for an upper back and cervical disability, finding no evidence of a link between his current disabilities and service. The claim for headache disability is remanded due to inadequate medical opinion regarding its relationship to service-connected tinnitus.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The TDIU was granted effective September 26, 2022.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have resulted in a combined rating of 100 percent throughout the review period. The issue of entitlement to TDIU is dismissed as moot because there is no indication that any single disability alone warrants a TDIU.

The Board has granted service connection for cervical spine, lumbosacral strain, left knee strain, and right knee strain disabilities. The decision is based on the Veteran's credible lay statements regarding symptoms that began during military service.

The Veteran is granted an effective date of September 28, 2015 for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) and eligibility to Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA). The TDIU was awarded due to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing and following substantially gainful employment. The DEA eligibility is also granted as of September 28, 2015.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine, cervical herniated disc, left knee osteoarthritis, and right knee osteoarthritis. The decision is based on a finding that these conditions began during active service.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for back and head injuries were dismissed due to failure to file a timely VA Form 10182 within one year of receiving the October 8, 2021, Rating Decision.

The Board denied service connection for lumbar and cervical spine disabilities, as well as neurologic impairment of the right lower extremity. The evidence did not support a link between these conditions and active service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for arthritis of the cervical spine was denied as there is no evidence linking it to his military service or any service-connected conditions.,Service connection for obstructive sleep apnea was granted based on its presence in service and persistence post-service.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded as he has not had a single disability rated at 60 percent disabling, or a disability rated at least 40 percent.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and related issues are being remanded due to the need to obtain non-VA medical records from West University Wellness and Westchase Health and Rehabilitation Center, which have not been associated with the claims file. The AOJ is instructed to readjudicate the claims after obtaining these records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbosacral strain and spondylosis (neck condition) due to insufficient evidence regarding their onset or relationship to his military service.

Effective August 14, 2018, the Veteran's service-connected cervical spine disability and associated radiculopathies of the upper extremities are granted. Effective November 19, 2019, the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability and associated radiculopathies of the lower extremities are also granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including arthritis, asthma, sleep apnea, back condition, neck condition, flat foot/pes planus, and hypothyroidism, have rendered him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed as he withdrew his appeal for all issues related to service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not meet the criteria for specially adapted housing or a special home adaptation grant due to his TDIU rating and lack of qualifying disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unemployable during the period from August 27, 2003 to August 21, 2014. The Board found that he was capable of performing sedentary work with a sit/stand accommodation.