Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2024

The Veteran withdrew his claims for an increased rating for tinnitus and an effective date prior to June 10, 2015, for service connection for tinnitus.,The Board found new and material evidence has been presented to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and MDD).

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee condition and cervical spine strain were not incurred or aggravated by service, and thus denied these claims. The case is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, with the majority of issues being granted. Service connection is now established for neck disability and headaches.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for cervical spine disability, headaches, and bilateral upper extremity radiculopathy due to inadequate opinions in previous VA examinations. The claims are now pending for further evaluation.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disability was dismissed due to his withdrawal. The case is remanded for further development regarding COPD, back, neck, and right knee disabilities.

Service connection for a cervical spine disability, residuals of head injury, and headache disability is denied.,The Veteran's claims were previously denied in June 2008. New evidence received since then does not establish service connection for these conditions.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for service connection for headaches, traumatic brain injury (TBI), lumbar spine, cervical spine, and left leg disability due to a lack of qualifying service. The appellant did not serve on active duty, ACDUTRA, or INACDUTRA.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions and incomplete treatment records.

The Veteran's claims for chronic fatigue syndrome and unspecified trauma and stressor-related disorder have been granted. The heart disability claim is remanded, as are the claims for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, cervical spine, right knee, left knee, and right ankle. The Veteran's gastritis with GERD claim also requires further examination.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development due to inadequate medical opinions and missing service treatment records.

The Veteran's service connection claims for migraine condition, right shoulder condition, cervical spine condition, and lumbar back condition are granted. The claim for a right calf condition is remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for a neck disability and a headache disability, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his military service. The appeal regarding a higher rating for lumbosacral strain was withdrawn.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and TDIU have been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeal in writing.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure and maintain a substantially gainful occupation from October 20, 2009, to December 31, 2011, and from January 1, 2013, to October 1, 2019. The Board affords the Veteran the benefit of doubt in finding that his service-connected disabilities alone resulted in unemployability during these periods.

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to properly adjudicate the claims for service connection of various conditions, including right ankle, cervical spine, right hip, head injuries (including headaches), acquired psychiatric disorder, gastroesophageal reflux disease, bilateral pes planus, and Parkinson's disease. The VA will obtain relevant records from SSA and VA treatment providers and conduct new examinations to provide a clear determination on these claims.

The Veteran's asthma is granted as service-connected.,Service connection for COPD, arthritis of the right hand, arthritis of the left hand, arthritis of the right foot, arthritis of the left foot, and arthritis of the cervical spine is remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has remanded the claims for right shoulder impingement and cervical strain prior to June 17, 2022 due to insufficient evidence from previous examinations. The Veteran's functional limitations need to be assessed.

The Veteran's service connection for cervical spine degenerative disc disease is granted. The issues of rating in excess of 10 percent prior to February 11, 2020 and in excess of 20 percent thereafter, for a service-connected lumbar spine condition, and TDIU prior to December 18, 2018 are remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for cervical spine, left arm radiculopathy, and low back disabilities. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to service.

The Veteran's cervical spine, thoracic and lumbar spine, migraine headaches associated with TBI, and C-section scar disabilities have been granted service connection. The Veteran is assigned a 50% rating for migraines associated with TBI, but the C-section scar remains at noncompensable.