Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2024

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's neck disability and her service-connected musculoskeletal disabilities. The VA must obtain complete treatment records from her National Guard/Reserve service and provide an addendum opinion on the etiology of her neck disability.

The Veteran's cervical spine condition (claimed as an upper back condition) is denied because there is no current evidence of a disability and the Board finds that any such disability, if present, did not begin during active service or is otherwise related to an in-service injury, event, or disease.,Service connection for sleep apnea, to include narcolepsy, is granted as it is at least as likely as not incurred in or caused by active military service. The Veteran's current sleep apnea was permanently aggravated by the pain from his service-connected back, shoulder, and knees conditions, and the medications used to treat those conditions.,Service connection for COPD is granted as it is proximately due to or the result of the service-connected obstructive sleep apnea.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional examination opinions to determine if his claimed disabilities are related to service. The issues of service connection have been remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for prostate cancer and metastasis of carcinoma of the prostate into the cervical region due to herbicide agent exposure, as there is insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's personal contact with Agent Orange at Fort Gordon from February to May 1967.

The Veteran's migraine and tension headaches are granted a 50% disability evaluation effective May 23, 2023.,The Veteran's degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine is granted a 30% disability evaluation since May 23, 2023.

The Veteran's cervical spine disorder and left cervical radiculopathy are granted service connection. The claim for an increased rating for left ankle degenerative joint disease is remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection for various foot, hip, knee, and shoulder disabilities due to incomplete records. The RO is instructed to obtain all relevant Service Treatment Records, VA treatment records, and other pertinent documents.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to new and material evidence having been received, but further development is needed before a decision can be made.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to outstanding medical records and further examination.

The appeals seeking service connection for bilateral hearing loss, increased ratings for right knee limited flexion and pain, right knee instability, left knee limited flexion and pain, and left knee instability have been dismissed. The appeal seeking to reopen the previously denied claims of service connection for a left ankle condition (claimed as secondary to service-connected right ankle disability), cervical arthritis, chronic anxiety disorder, and left wrist condition has been granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions were denied as new and material evidence was not received to reopen the claims. The Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of any of the claimed conditions, and there is no link between his active duty service and these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate opinions regarding the etiology and aggravation of the Veteran's cervical spine disability, which is related to his service-connected medial neuropathy of the right hand/carpal tunnel syndrome.

The Veteran's appeals for higher ratings on his right and left knee conditions, as well as service connection for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine and cervical spine, are being remanded due to new evidence received since the last adjudication. Clarification is needed from a VA examiner regarding whether these conditions are related to his service-connected knee disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for COPD, cervical spine disability, radiculopathy (right and left upper extremities), posttraumatic residual degenerative joint disease of the right hip, posttraumatic residual fracture injury of right leg with impairment of right knee extension, obstructive sleep apnea, lumbar spine disability, and TDIU are all granted. The Veteran's cervical spine disability is rated at 30% from August 3, 2023 onwards.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, nocturnal bruxism, a scar on the right eye following an accident, retinal degeneration, radiculopathy of the left lower extremity (claimed as bilateral sciatica), and other conditions. The Board found no current disabilities or sufficient evidence to establish service connection.

The Board has determined that new VA examinations are necessary to assess the current severity of the Veteran's service-connected PTSD and right knee disabilities, as well as to determine the nature and etiology of his back and neck disabilities. The claims for increased ratings for PTSD and right knee disability remain pending.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for cervical spine, lumbar strain, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, hernia, allergic rhinitis (allergies), and plantar fasciitis due to incomplete STRs and other procedural issues.,Specifically, the Veteran was not provided proper notification regarding her STRs as required by 38 C.F.R. § 3.159(e).

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for cervical spine, right shoulder, right knee, left knee, right ankle, and left ankle disabilities due to incomplete service treatment records and inadequate VA examinations. Additional development is needed to obtain missing STRs and private medical records, as well as new VA examinations.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded for additional development and clarification of his conditions, exposure basis, and theories of entitlement. The issues include bilateral hand disability, hypertension, cervical degenerative disc disease, lumbar degenerative disease, respiratory disability (asthma), bilateral hearing loss, and left knee disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left ear hearing loss and fibromyalgia have been denied. The Veteran has been granted a 50% rating for migraine headaches, effective August 1, 2014, with no higher ratings allowed.