Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2024

Service connection for allergic rhinitis and chronic sinusitis is granted.,Service connection for migraine headaches, cervical spine disability, and lumbar spine disability is remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to deficiencies in the record existing prior to the appealed decision. The issues of service connection for cervical spine disability, peripheral neuropathy of the left upper extremity, right lower extremity, and left lower extremity are being addressed.

The Veteran's cervical stenosis and spondylosis, status post C4-C5 and C5-C6 fusion surgery, resulted in forward flexion of the cervical spine greater than 15 degrees but not greater than 30 degrees. The Board found that this did not meet the criteria for a higher rating as per VA regulations.

Your appeals for service connection for cervical spine disability, lumbar spine disability, and left and right lower extremity radiculopathy have been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeals under the Direct Review Lane.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, in combination, rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation as of August 10, 2019. As such, the Board has granted a TDIU effective from that date.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prior to October 31, 2016, rendered him unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment. From October 31, 2016, the Veteran has been awarded a 100 percent schedular evaluation for his psychiatric disability, making TDIU moot. The Veteran is also granted SMC based on housebound status.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right upper extremity neurological disorders to include peripheral neuropathy are being remanded due to a lack of an adequate medical opinion in the December 2020 rating decision.,An effective date prior to April 14, 2019, for the grant of service connection for a neck disability is denied.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability (unspecified anxiety disorder and depression) but denied service connection for right elbow, right shoulder, and neck disabilities. The case is remanded for further examination regarding the right shoulder and neck disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's requests for earlier effective dates for service connection of lumbar spine degenerative arthritis, cervical spine degenerative arthritis with intervertebral disc syndrome, and associated radiculopathies. The effective dates were set at April 20, 2010, for the back conditions and April 28, 2010, for the neck conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims of entitlement to service connection for right shoulder disorder, left shoulder disorder, and cervical spine disorder due to a lack of medical examination addressing the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to errors in obtaining relevant SSA records and failing to provide a VA examination. The claims will be reconsidered with these additional pieces of evidence.

For the entire period under appeal, a rating in excess of 20 percent but no higher than 40 percent for lumbosacral strain is granted. From June 22, 2019, to November 3, 2020, an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for cervical strain is denied and from November 3, 2020 onwards a 30 percent rating but no more is granted.

The Board has granted service connection for a neck disability and associated bilateral upper extremity radiculopathy, finding that the Veteran's disabilities had their onset during his active-duty service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to incomplete compliance with prior remand directives.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including stomach condition, sleep disorder, cervical spine disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, and shin splints. The reasons given were that there was no competent evidence linking these conditions to service or a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's right posterior and anterior thigh gunshot wound residuals have been rated as noncompensable, with the Board finding that they do not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.,The Veteran's left upper extremity radiculopathy has also been rated as noncompensable prior to November 21, 2018.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to inadequate development and lack of a strong medical rationale in previous opinions. The appellant is asked to submit any additional evidence, and a new opinion from an appropriate clinician is needed.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding secondary service connection for the Veteran's cervical spine disability. The case will be returned for addendum medical opinions and readjudication.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral shoulder disability and denied service connection for left knee, lumbar spine, and cervical spine disabilities. The decision is based on the Veteran's credible statements of in-service injuries and continuous symptoms since service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for cervical spine, right shoulder, left shoulder, right hip, left hip, and bilateral foot disabilities due to insufficient rationale in previous VA opinions.