Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2024

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative changes of the thoracolumbar spine and cervical spine disability, finding that these conditions began during active service.

The Veteran has withdrawn all issues on appeal, including those related to the assignment of disability ratings and effective dates for her hip and cervical strain conditions. The Board dismissed the appeal due to the withdrawal.

The Board denied service connection for GERD, hemorrhoids, bunion of the left foot, and cervical spine degenerative changes as there was no evidence linking these conditions to active duty service.,There is no clear or unmistakable evidence showing that any of these conditions began during service or were aggravated by service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for cervical and thoracolumbar spine disabilities due to a duty-to-assist error, including obtaining private treatment records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to errors in obtaining relevant records and providing an adequate VA examination. The Veteran's neck disability is being reviewed again for proper service connection.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequate medical opinions and evidence. The issues of neck disability, radiculopathy in both lower extremities, diabetes mellitus secondary to weight gain, and depression are being remanded for further development.

The Board has denied the Veteran's petitions to readjudicate his claims for service connection for cervical spine disc herniation, cervical radiculopathy of the bilateral upper extremities, right shoulder strain, and cluster headaches as secondary to cervical spine disc herniation due to lack of new and relevant evidence.

The Board denied service connection for lumbar and cervical spine disabilities, finding that the Veteran's lay statements regarding in-service back pain were not credible.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbosacral strain status, scars, and a disability of the cervical segment of the spine. The evidence did not support that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to a lack of VA examination and medical opinion regarding the Veteran's cervical and lumbar spine conditions.

The Veteran's headache disability is currently rated at 50 percent, and the Board has found that his cervical spine disability warrants a remand for further examination to determine its current severity. The issue of service connection for vertigo as secondary to the cervical spine disability also requires additional development.

The Board denied the Veteran's requests for earlier effective dates for service connection of degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine and right upper extremity radiculopathy, finding that no valid claim was submitted prior to September 4, 2020.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his lumbosacral strain, IVDS, cervical spine degenerative arthritis, left shoulder impingement syndrome, and left leg radiculopathy are remanded due to inadequate prior VA examinations. The Veteran needs new and adequate examinations to assess the severity of these conditions.

The Veteran's neck and right shoulder disabilities have been granted service connection, as they are related to her military service. Her headaches and allergic rhinitis appeals were dismissed due to the grant of separate ratings for these conditions in prior decisions.,Service connection has also been established for tinnitus, which is considered a presumptive condition under VA regulations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for migraine headaches and a cervical spine disability due to potential errors in the duty-to-assist process, particularly related to exposure to environmental hazards under the PACT Act.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea is granted. The Board also remanded the claims for increased disability ratings for cervical strain and degenerative arthritis, left shoulder traumatic rotator cuff lesion residuals, right knee arthritis, left knee degenerative arthritis, chronic bronchitis, and bilateral hearing loss.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a neck disability as there is no current diagnosis of such condition during the appeal period.

The Board has granted service connection for a cervical spine disorder and left upper extremity radiculopathy as secondary to the cervical spine disorder.

The Board has remanded the case due to a duty to assist error and will consider evidence not previously considered.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for right inguinal hernia repair, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), neck disability, hypertension, hemorrhoids, mild renal insufficiency (claimed as renal failure), colitis, and bilateral shoulder disabilities due to incomplete records and inadequate examinations.