Neck / cervical spine Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are remanded due to the need for additional examinations to assess the current severity of his disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss, right shoulder disability, lower back disability, neck disability, and bilateral ankle disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for cervical and lumbar spine degeneration with myospasm, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and left knee disorder. The case is remanded for additional development regarding the left knee disorder.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD, service connection for various conditions, and a compensable rating for his gunshot wound scars are remanded. The Veteran's exposure to Agent Orange or toxins from jet fuel is also under consideration.

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

The Board has decided to remand two issues: the evaluation of the Veteran's cervical spine disability and service connection for his lumbar spine disability. The remand is due to insufficient evidence in both cases, requiring further examination and opinion.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for service connection of a cervical spine disorder, as secondary to his service-connected lumbosacral strain. The decision is based on the need for an examination to determine if there is any link between the Veteran's current condition and his military service.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for back and neck disabilities due to a lack of current diagnosed conditions, and because additional records are needed. The Veteran will be asked to provide any relevant treatment records from the Department of Defense and Air Force.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination and further evaluation is needed.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to May 1, 2015 for the addition of his spouse to his VA compensation award was denied as he did not submit a completed VA Form 21-686(c) within one year of notification letters.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been remanded due to the need for further evaluation. The initial rating for adjustment disorder with anxiety remains denied, as does the request for a higher rating for cervical spine degenerative disc disease.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected herniated cervical discs, with spinal stenosis, right upper extremity radiculopathy with carpal tunnel syndrome, and left lower extremity radiculopathy are remanded due to the need for updated treatment records and VA examinations.

The Veteran's hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable, and no increased rating is warranted.,Hypertension has not been shown to meet the criteria for a higher than 10 percent evaluation. The Veteran does not have diastolic pressure predominantly 110 or more, or systolic pressure predominantly 200 or more.,Diabetes mellitus type II currently rated as 20 percent disabling; no increased rating is warranted based on the current evidence of record.,Left shoulder impingement syndrome with arthritis post-arthroscopy has been increased to a 20 percent evaluation effective December 6, 2017. No further increase in rating is warranted at this time.,Cervical spine arthritis has been increased to a 10 percent evaluation effective December 6, 2017. No further increase in rating is warranted at this time.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for sleep apnea and remanded the remaining issues. The Veteran's testimony and wife's observations suggest his sleep problems may have started in service, but further examination is needed to determine if this is true.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for migraine headaches, thoracolumbar strain, and cervical strain are remanded due to inadequate examinations.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for lumbar and cervical spine disabilities due to incomplete records from Elmendorf Air Force Base. The VA will need to obtain these records and provide an addendum medical opinion if necessary.

The Veteran's service connection claim for a lumbar spine disability was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of in-service injury or disease related to this condition.,The Veteran's hearing loss and hypothyroidism were both evaluated at their current levels, but he requested higher evaluations. A new VA examination is needed to determine if his disabilities are more severe than currently rated.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral shoulder disability and upper back disability due to inadequate previous VA opinions. The Veteran is seeking service connection for these conditions, which are alleged to be related to her in-service motor vehicle accident in September 2009.

The Board has denied service connection for a neck disability, finding that the Veteran's current cervical spine degenerative disc disease is not related to his in-service injury.

The Board has dismissed all appeals as the appellant died during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that no service-connected disability caused or contributed to his death. The Veteran died from a fall resulting in blunt force trauma to the neck due to cervical cord pathology, which was not related to any service-connected condition.