Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2024

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been withdrawn, and the Board has dismissed these issues due to withdrawal. The Veteran does not meet the criteria for hearing loss for VA purposes.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain an adequate medical opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's cervical strain, as well as whether it is related to her service-connected right shoulder strain or lumbosacral strain.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a thoracolumbar spine condition, cervical spine condition, and PTSD due to military sexual trauma have been remanded by the Board.,New evidence has been submitted that tends to support the Veteran's claim of a condition onsetting during a period of active service.

The Board has granted service connection for right knee strain and denied service connection for hypertension, OSA, cervical spine arthritis, left shoulder arthritis, and lumbar spine arthritis. The Veteran's right knee strain is found to be related to his in-service symptoms and post-service treatment. However, the Board determined that there was no nexus between the current diagnosis of hypertension and the elevated blood pressure readings during service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim of service connection for a neck condition, finding that the evidence supports a nexus between the current condition and his active duty service.

The Veteran's cervical spine degenerative arthritis is granted a 30 percent rating.,The Veteran's lumbar spine degenerative arthritis is granted a 40 percent rating.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance or housebound status due to his employment as a courthouse bailiff, which is inconsistent with needing regular aid and attendance.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for cervicalgia, residuals of left foot injury with instability, bilateral hearing loss, and cold weather injury of the left upper extremity. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by service.,There was no credible evidence linking any current disabilities to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including high cholesterol, snoring, fatigue, insomnia, hearing loss, chronic left hip pain, and cerumen impaction (claimed as chronic ear infection), have been denied. The Board has also remanded several other issues related to knee conditions, shoulder conditions, migraine headaches, and overactive bladder.

The Veteran's cervical spine and related bilateral upper extremity disabilities were granted service connection effective May 6, 2020. The Board found the evidence established that the conditions predated this date.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for cervical and lumbosacral strain as there are insufficient nexus opinions provided by VA examiners.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service-connected. The claims for neck, back, left elbow, right elbow, left hand, right hand, left wrist, and right wrist disabilities are denied. Headaches claim is remanded.

The Veteran's TBI and migraine headaches are granted as service-connected. The cervical spine, lumbar spine, and bilateral knee disabilities are remanded for further review.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right upper extremity cervical radiculopathy, as they are secondary to his service-connected cervical strain. The decision requires an addendum opinion addressing whether the Veteran's cervical radiculopathies were caused or aggravated by his service-connected cervical strain.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, a cervical spine disorder, a low back disorder, and a right hip disorder due to errors in obtaining relevant medical records and failing to provide a VA examination.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been submitted to warrant readjudication of the Veteran's claims for service connection for cervical spine strain and chronic diarrhea, including hemorrhoids and anal fissures. The claims are being remanded for further development.

The Veteran's appeals for increased disability ratings and TDIU have been dismissed as he requested to withdraw the appeals prior to a decision being made.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations provided were inadequate and remands the case for further development, including obtaining a new VA examination to address the nature and etiology of the appellant's claimed spinal stenosis.

The Board has granted service connection for a cervical spine disability and hypertension, but remanded the claim of entitlement to service connection for sleep apnea.

The Board has dismissed the issues of service connection for a cervical spine disability and an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as depression) due to the April 2021 rating decision not adjudicating these claims, and subsequent grant by a June 2021 rating decision. The evidence does not support a current diagnosis of a mental disorder.