Neck / cervical spine Board decisions

The Veteran's cervical spine disability was not incurred in or caused by any incident of active service, and it has not been aggravated or caused by his low back disability.,The Veteran’s left upper extremity sensory peripheral neuropathy is less likely than not caused or aggravated by his service-connected low back disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to his service-connected cervical spine disability. The decision states that the Veteran's service-connected condition does not render him unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an upper back disability and a right knee disability due to unclear diagnoses and inadequate examination findings. The claims are pending further clarification.

The Veteran's low back disability, bilateral hearing loss, and cervical spine disability are granted. The right hip and left foot disabilities are remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has determined that the RO's decision to reduce the Veteran's rating for arthritis of the right ankle from 10% to 0% in November 2001 was correct. The Veteran is seeking service connection for lumbar and cervical spine disorders, which he claims are related to his military service. The appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and schedule a VA examination.

The Board has remanded the case for a VA examination to address the etiology of the Veteran's claimed neck disability. The application to reopen a claim of entitlement to service connection for dental disability is denied.

The Board has denied service connection for left shoulder, left hip, and neck conditions due to lack of medical evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's active duty service.,Service connection is also not granted for a low back condition, left knee condition, or right shoulder condition as there is insufficient evidence to establish a nexus between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for low back disability, cervical spine disability, left wrist sprain, left ankle disability, musculoskeletal strain (claimed as costochondritis Tietze's syndrome), otitis media, right ear, right knee disability, left knee disability, bilateral hearing loss disability, and tinnitus due to new evidence of ongoing symptoms.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of a lumbar spine injury and residuals of a cervical spine injury due to incomplete records from his VA employment and treatment history.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral lower extremity disabilities and several other conditions, have resulted in a combined rating of 100 percent. The Board has granted SMC benefits at the (r)(1) rate based on his need for regular aid and attendance due to his service-connected disabilities. Additionally, the Veteran is eligible for specially adapted housing as he meets the criteria for loss or use of both lower extremities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a lumbar spine disability, cervical spine disability, soft tissue sarcoma, and subacute peripheral neuropathy are all granted. The claim for service connection for subacute peripheral neuropathy is denied due to lack of evidence meeting the required presumptive criteria.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional examinations and evaluations to address the severity of her cervical spine condition, as well as her right arm, bilateral hand, and bilateral upper extremity conditions. The VA will need to obtain updated medical records and conduct new examinations to determine the current nature and extent of these disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected left distal tibia fracture is found to be the primary cause of his degenerative disc disease, sacroiliac joint strain, cervical spine arthritis, bilateral hip arthritis, and fibromyalgia.,Service connection for major depressive disorder secondary to service-connected left distal tibia fracture has been granted.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased evaluation of his left knee ACL tear and service connection for a neck disability were both denied by the Board. The left knee condition is currently rated at 10%.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including right and left shoulder disorders, ulcers, prostate disorder, hemoglobin disorder, cervical spine disorder, lumbar spine disorder, cardiac disorder, acquired psychiatric disorder, left lower extremity radiculopathy, right lower extremity radiculopathy, dementia and Alzheimer's disease, kidney disorder, right knee disorder, left knee disorder, eye disorder, and hypertension. The Board found no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and service.

The Veteran's claims for cervical and lumbar spine disabilities have been reopened due to the submission of new evidence. The Board has remanded these issues for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board has restored the Veteran's 20 percent rating for cervical spine disability, finding that the reduction from 20 to 10 percent was improper due to insufficient evidence of material improvement under the ordinary conditions of life.

The Board has remanded the cases for readjudication due to receipt of additional VA treatment records and examination reports. The claims are not yet decided.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a neck injury to include cervical strain, finding that the preponderance of evidence is against a finding that his current condition began during active service or is related to an in-service injury. The right shoulder disorder and migraines were separately granted.

The Board has denied service connection for cervical spine disability and bilateral upper extremity nerve disability, but has remanded the issue of right lower extremity nerve disability.