Neck / cervical spine Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, but the Board has determined that additional development is needed in order to make a fully informed decision on these issues.

The Veteran's appeals seeking service connection for various conditions have been denied. The claims of service connection for a back condition, cervical spine condition, tinnitus, and depression are all denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board has granted entitlement to TDIU. The case is remanded for further development regarding his esophageal adenocarcinoma rating and housebound status.

The Veteran's cervical and lumbar spine disorders are being remanded for further evaluation as the evidence is insufficient to determine their etiology.

The Board denied service connection for all claimed lumbar, cervical, left shoulder, right shoulder, and left hip disabilities due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service or a service-connected condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of increased ratings for his left and right ankle disabilities, as well as his requests to increase his ratings for his left and right knee disabilities. The appeal regarding service connection for a cervical spine disability was not addressed in this decision.

The Veteran's claim for an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his cervical spine disability is denied as the evidence does not support a higher rating based on the criteria set forth in VA’s Schedule for Rating Disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various spinal and knee disorders, as well as a shoulder disorder, all claimed as secondary to service-connected bilateral pes planus. The remand requires obtaining additional medical records and scheduling an examination by an appropriate examiner.

The Board has granted service connection for thoracolumbar spondylosis at L4-5, degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine, and hypertension. The decision is based on evidence showing a link between these conditions and the Veteran's active service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral knee disabilities, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, residuals of a head injury (including vertigo and headaches), and neck disability due to outstanding treatment records and need for additional medical opinions.

The Board denied service connection for gout, chronic pain, left shoulder impingement syndrome and acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis, low back disability, neck disability, respiratory condition (shortness of breath), and chronic kidney disease. The evidence did not show a relationship between these conditions and service.,The Board found that the Veteran's gout had no onset in service or was not related to service. For other conditions, there was insufficient evidence to establish their onset during service or relate them to service.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for back and neck disabilities due to a lack of complete medical records, including those from VA treatment providers. The Veteran is also asked to provide exact dates of her ACDUTRA periods.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted for his lower back, cervical spine, acquired psychiatric disorder (major depressive disorder), and headaches. The claim for bilateral foot disability has not met the criteria for reopening.

The Board has granted the Veteran's request to reopen claims for service connection for various conditions, including right ear hearing loss, left wrist disorder, low back disorder, cervical spine disorder, traumatic cognitive disorder (mental disorder due to traumatic fall), seizure disorder, and left knee disorder. The appeals are now remanded for further development.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for cervical and thoraco-lumbar spine disabilities due to a lack of VA assistance in obtaining relevant private medical records. The Veteran is required to provide authorization for these records, which will then be requested by VA.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability is rated at 20 percent, effective October 27, 1998. The rating will remain in effect until further notice.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability was rated at 10 percent from October 30, 2014 to December 19, 2018. The Board granted a higher rating of 30 percent for this period based on the evidence showing more severe symptoms and limitations.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU is being remanded due to the need for further development, including obtaining outstanding VA and private treatment records. The case will also be referred to the Director of Compensation Services for an initial adjudication on whether an extraschedular TDIU should be granted prior to January 28, 2015.

The Board has determined that additional medical opinions are needed to determine the etiology of the Veteran's cervical spine disorder, dystonia musculorum deformans, acquired psychiatric disorder, and subluxation of the mandible with temporomandibular joint sounds (TMJ).

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cervical spine disability and headaches are not service-connected due to lack of evidence showing a direct link between these conditions and his military service.