Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2024

The Veteran's cervical spine disability, including arthritis, is granted as service-connected due to continuity of symptoms since service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a cervical spine disability and left foot disability due to insufficient evidence in the current record. Additional development is needed, including obtaining medical opinions on whether these conditions are related to service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development to obtain outstanding VA treatment records, including Battle Creek VAMC records. The issues include PTSD ratings prior and subsequent to specific dates, as well as ratings for a bilateral foot disorder, cervical spine disorder, and asthma.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a neck disability and an upper torso disability due to incomplete compliance with previous remand directives. The VA is instructed to provide the CV and qualifications of Dr. H.R.S., request information on other examiners, and obtain an addendum medical opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the appellant's claimed disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for cervical and lumbar spine disabilities due to a lack of STRs, which are unavailable. The VA examinations obtained in September 2023 did not adequately address the Veteran's contentions regarding his reported in-service injury.

The Board has granted service connection for a cervical spine disability. The right and left shoulder disabilities are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim of service connection for a back injury due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination.

The Board has determined that the issues of service connection for hearing loss, traumatic brain injury (TBI), a cervical spine disability, a thoracolumbar spine disability, a right knee disability, a left foot disability, and a right foot disability should be remanded due to an error in docketing.

The Board has determined that the current decision is not final and requires further examination to determine if spinal stenosis, cervical region (claimed as neck condition) is secondary to service-connected left knee disability with obesity as an intermediate step.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea has been reopened. The Board finds that a remand is warranted to obtain missing STRs and private treatment records, as well as to schedule VA examinations for the left upper and lower extremity radiculopathy and cervical and lumbar disabilities.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for chronic hearing loss, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including attention deficit disorder and chronic anxiety), a cervical spine condition, peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities, and bilateral plantar fasciitis. The case is remanded to obtain additional medical opinions addressing the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case for a new VA examination to determine the current nature, extent, and severity of the Veteran's cervical spine disability. The issues include rating claims for cervical spine spondylosis and upper extremity radiculopathy.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's cervical spine degenerative arthritis, finding that symptoms were noted in service and have continued since then. The decision is based on presumptive service connection.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete service treatment records and an inadequate addendum opinion regarding secondary service connection for the neck disability. The Veteran's claim will be returned for further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for neck disability and acquired psychiatric disability due to service, including PTSD and depression. The VA will conduct further examinations to determine the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for right knee degenerative arthritis, left knee degenerative arthritis, degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, cervical spinal stenosis with degenerative arthritis, radiculopathy of the upper and lower extremities, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD, anxiety, and depression) due to new evidence not having been considered in the first instance.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a cervical spine disorder, finding that there was no evidence linking the condition to his active military service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to incomplete records and inadequate medical opinions regarding radiculopathy associated with the Veteran's thoracolumbar and cervical spine disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for further development regarding her claimed disabilities, including exposure verification and medical opinions.

The Board has denied service connection for a low back disability and a neck disability due to the lack of evidence showing that these conditions were incurred or aggravated during active military service.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is remanded for further clarification regarding its etiology.