Neck / cervical spine Board decisions

The Veteran's cervical spine disorder is rated at 60 percent since April 24, 2018. His thoracolumbar spine disorder is rated at 40 percent since December 9, 2018.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine and a lumbar spine disability due to insufficient development and consideration.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records and need for further examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for cervical spine disability, lumbar spine disability, and chest pain with breathing problems due to outstanding VA and private treatment records needing to be updated. Additionally, a new examination is required to clarify whether the Veteran currently suffers from a chest-related diagnosis and to determine if his back disabilities are related to service or aggravated by his left shoulder disability.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings on multiple service-connected disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and consideration of new evidence.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for cervical strain and right knee strain, as well as his TDIU claim due to inadequate VA examinations conducted in December 2011. The Veteran will need new VA examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination reports and a need for additional evidence. The Veteran is seeking an increased rating for his cervical spine disability, but the VA examinations provided were not adequate in addressing functional loss.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for hypertension, cervical spine disability, and sleep apnea due to insufficient evidence. The Veteran is not entitled to service connection for these conditions as there is no medical evidence showing they were incurred or aggravated in service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including a back disability, neck disability, and left foot disorder, have rendered him incapable of securing or following substantially gainful employment from July 20, 2006, to February 23, 2016. The Board has therefore granted a TDIU rating for this period.

The Board has granted service connection for a neck disability, finding that the Veteran's current condition is causally related to her military service.

The Veteran's service connection claims for various musculoskeletal conditions, hearing loss, tinnitus, heart condition, Parkinson’s disease, and acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD, anxiety, depression) have all been denied as the evidence does not support a finding that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development to obtain medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's cervical spine disability and Arnold Chiari malformation are related to his military service, and to evaluate subjective symptoms consistent with the disease.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disability has been reopened and granted. The appeal is also granted as to the issue of entitlement to an increased rating for his cervical spine disability, but TDIU remains pending.

The Board has determined that additional VA medical opinions are necessary to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete or inaccurate factual premises in previous VA examination reports.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current disability of the thoracolumbar spine or left leg, and therefore cannot establish service connection for these conditions. The cervical spine condition is remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding its etiology.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and sleep impairments, is found to be related to his service. The cervical spine disability, left hand disability, and right hand disability are not considered to have originated during service or are otherwise linked to a service-connected condition.

The Board has remanded the claims for a compensable rating for headaches and TDIU due to unclear findings in the March 2016 VA examination report, which did not consider all procurable evidence. The examiner was instructed to clarify the severity of the Veteran's headaches since his claim was filed in October 1997.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for a traumatic brain injury with migraines and cervical spine disability due to inconsistencies in his reported incidents. The evidence does not support finding that he sustained a traumatic brain injury during service.

The Board denied service connection for a cervical spine disability and fibromyalgia, finding that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for these conditions based on lack of evidence of current diagnoses or a causal relationship to service.,The Board also found that there was no credible evidence of a diagnosis of fibromyalgia in the record.

The Veteran was granted an effective date of March 1, 1995 for the award of service connection for cervical radiculopathy of the bilateral upper extremities.,An earlier effective date for a higher rating for herniated intervertebral disc L5-S1 is denied.