Neck / cervical spine Board decisions

Service connection has been granted for arthritis of the cervical spine, thoracic spine, lumbar spine, hands, right knee, left knee, migraine headaches, and sinus condition (to include allergic rhinitis).,Prostate cancer has also been granted.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including right leg, ankle, groin, hip, shoulder, cervical spine, and scar conditions. The effective date for a TDIU is dismissed as no effective date has been assigned yet. The issues of service connection and increased evaluations are also remanded.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for diabetes mellitus, liver disorder, and a compensable rating for the service-connected acute rheumatic fever with migratory polyarthritis have been dismissed. The claims for service connection for low back pain and chronic kidney condition manifested by hematuria in service were granted as new and material evidence was received. Service connection has been established for right knee disability, left knee disability, lumbar spine disability, and the Veteran is presumed to have a kidney condition due to Camp Lejeune exposure. The remaining claims are remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for a low back disability, but the other issues related to bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as cervical spine and left leg disabilities, are remanded for further development.

The Board has determined that the veteran's PTSD is not service-connected due to his willful misconduct during active duty. The other disabilities listed are also denied as they were either caused by or aggravated by the veteran's own actions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar strain and cervical spine degenerative disc disease due to incomplete service medical records. The RO is instructed to make another attempt to obtain these records from the Veteran’s duty stations in Germany and Fort Bragg, as well as request addendum opinions.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a cervical spine disability, finding that there is not enough evidence to support a link between her current condition and her military service or any existing service-connected conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to inadequate examination reports. The VA examiner was not able to provide specific degrees of motion in each state and did not estimate the additional loss of range of motion upon flare-ups.

The Board denied service connection for a back disability and a neck disability, finding that the Veteran's conditions did not occur during his active duty service or were permanently aggravated by his Reserve training. The evidence showed that the Veteran had pre-existing injuries from an automobile accident in 1993 which worsened after he attended Reserve training in 1994.

The Veteran's COPD was not incurred in or aggravated by service, and the Board denied service connection for this condition.,For the whole period on appeal, radiculopathy caused moderate incomplete paralysis of both upper extremities. The Veteran received a rating of 40 percent prior to March 5, 2019 for right upper extremity radiculopathy and a rating of 30 percent after that date for left upper extremity radiculopathy.,The Veteran's cervical spine disability was rated as 10 percent before March 5, 2019 and 30 percent thereafter. The Board found no evidence to warrant higher ratings based on the severity of symptoms.,Migraine headaches were not manifested by very frequent completely prostrating and prolonged attacks productive of severe economic inadaptability.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates and initial ratings have been denied. The Board found that the criteria for an earlier effective date were not met, as the effective date assigned was the day following discharge from service. For other issues, no higher rating could be assigned based on current evidence.

The Veteran's appeals for various conditions were dismissed due to their death.

The Veteran's migraines associated with degenerative intervertebral disc cervical spine are now rated at 50 percent effective August 16, 2002. The restoration of a 20 percent rating for his service-connected status post compression fracture T8 and T9 with minimal scoliosis is also granted from the date of reduction (June 1, 2015).

The Board has determined that the reduction of the rating for cervical and lumbar spine DDD from 30 percent to noncompensable was improper, and the prior rating must be restored.

The Veteran's left knee tendonitis is granted as service-connected. The Board also found that the Veteran likely incurred multiple joint disabilities during his active duty, including shoulder, back, neck, and ankle issues, but did not find a direct link to service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's cervical strain and thoracolumbar strain have been rated at 20 percent since December 23, 2009. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a higher rating for either condition.,The Veteran has service-connected rheumatoid arthritis which contributes to his symptoms of neck pain and back pain.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for cervical strain, bilateral hearing loss, and bilateral tinnitus due to a lack of nexus opinions regarding service connection. The case must be returned for further examination and opinion.

The Board denied service connection for a neck disability and a back disability, finding that the Veteran's current disabilities are not related to his active service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a neck disability and bilateral hearing loss have been granted, resulting in the dismissal of these issues.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension has been remanded due to incomplete information and need for further examination.