Neck / cervical spine Board decisions

The Veteran's asthma was granted service connection as it is presumed to have existed prior to service and not aggravated by service. Other claims for various conditions were denied.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for lumbar and cervical spine disorders has been dismissed due to the Veteran's withdrawal of his claims.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's thoracolumbar spine disability. The cervical spine disability is denied as there is no evidence linking it to service.

The Board has dismissed the appeals seeking service connection for various conditions, including cervical spine condition, lumbosacral strain (also claimed as thoracic spine condition), left knee condition, right knee condition, left wrist condition, right wrist condition, right shoulder condition, and left ankle condition. The appeal is dismissed due to a lack of a valid substantive appeal.

The Veteran's PTSD with major depressive disorder and anxious distress has been rated at 30 percent, but the Board has determined that a higher rating of 70 percent is warranted due to occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.

The Board denied service connection for TBI, cervical strain, neurological disorder, sleep apnea, right arm disorder, and left arm disorder due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.,Service connection was not granted as the Veteran's claimed disabilities did not have their onset in active service or within a year of discharge.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, TBI, neck disability, migraine and/or tension headaches, low back disability, and acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD). The reasons provided include a lack of evidence linking these conditions to service or any in-service injury. The Board has also noted that there is no continuous symptomatology for hypertension within one year of discharge.,The Veteran's claims for TBI, neck disability, migraine and/or tension headaches, low back disability, and acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD) are remanded as the Veteran has not been afforded a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for cervical DDD, lumbar DDD, and DM have been dismissed. The Board has granted a TDIU based on the Veteran's service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing or following any substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's initial compensable ratings for post-cervical fracture with residual strain and left arm strain prior to May 22, 2012 have been denied.,The Veteran's increased ratings of 20 percent for post-cervical fracture with residual strain from May 22, 2012 forward and 10 percent for left arm strain from the same date have also been denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for TDIU as his service-connected conditions do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development and clarification of the Veteran's service connection and evaluation requests.,An effective date of February 27, 2001, is granted for a 40 percent rating for lumbar spine degenerative disc disease. Other issues remain pending.

The Veteran's hypertension had its onset in service and the Board has granted service connection for this condition. The issues of increased ratings for cervical spine disability, radiculopathy of the right and left lower extremities, and scars of the right and left shoulders are remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's cervical spine disability, which may be related to his service-connected back disability.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left hip degenerative joint disease, lumbar and sacroiliac joints degenerative joint disease, and cervical spondylosis were denied as his conditions did not meet the criteria for higher ratings under VA rating criteria.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for further examination and evaluation. The issues include bilateral hearing loss, low back disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, carpal tunnel of the upper extremities, cervical spine disability, and shoulder disabilities.

The Board has remanded all issues due to the failure of the AOJ to provide proper notice to the appellant's representative regarding a June 2016 rating decision. The CUE claim should be resolved prior to resolving the new and material evidence claim.

The Veteran's claim for higher ratings for degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine and left knee was denied as there is no evidence showing that his symptoms warranted a rating in excess of the currently assigned 10 percent.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to his service-connected disabilities, finding that they preclude him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's neck disability and his service-connected lumbar strain, as well as whether it is related to active naval service. The case will be returned for further development.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depression, is remanded for a new examination to determine if it is related to service.,The Veteran's headache disorder is remanded for an addendum opinion addressing his in-service head injury and complaints of headaches.