Neck / cervical spine Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and consideration of all pertinent evidence. The issues include increased ratings for his cervical spine disability, left upper extremity neurological impairment, and right upper extremity neurological impairment.

The Board has granted service connection for low back and cervical spine disabilities. The Veteran's left knee disability is being remanded due to the need for a medical opinion regarding its relationship to her right knee disability.

The Board has granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability, cervical spine disability, and an adjustment disorder. The Veteran's right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome rating is restored to 30 percent.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and initial ratings for cervical spine degenerative changes and headaches have been granted, but the disabilities are not rated higher than noncompensable.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling an examination. The issues of entitlement to increased ratings for cervical spondylosis with degenerative disc disease and surgical scars from cervical diskectomy as well as service connection for TBI are also being addressed.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The issue of service connection for a cervical spine disorder was withdrawn by the Veteran.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to allow for the consideration of additional medical records and for further development as needed.

The Veteran's cervical spine and lumbar spine disabilities have been rated based on their current manifestations, with the highest rating granted for the cervical spine disability from January 10, 2012. The lumbar spine disability has also received a higher rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's degenerative joint disease at C5-6 level and his headaches, which are partly due to cervical spine degeneration, were incurred during service. Service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected spine disability renders him unable to obtain or maintain any form of substantially gainful employment consistent with his education, training, and work history since January 2, 2011.

The Veteran's Tension Headaches are rated at 10 percent prior to January 5, 2012 and 50 percent thereafter. The cervical spine disability is rated at 20 percent from September 11, 2005 to December 22, 2011; 70 percent effective January 5, 2012; and 80 percent effective April 28, 2015. The Veteran's right upper extremity radiculopathy associated with his cervical spine disability is rated at 40 percent from September 11, 2005 to December 22, 2011; 70 percent effective January 5, 2012; and 80 percent effective April 28, 2015. The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted.,The Veteran has been rated at 30 percent from March 7, 2001 to September 10, 2005; 40 percent from September 11, 2005 to December 22, 2011; and 80 percent effective January 5, 2012.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for psychiatric, left jaw, left frontal lobe, cervical spine, and lumbar spine disabilities. The diagnoses were not supported by evidence or medical opinion.

The Board found that there is no current diagnosis of a lumbar or cervical spine disability, and thus denied the Veteran's claims for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's back disability is aggravated by his service-connected bilateral knee disabilities, and therefore grants entitlement to service connection for a back disability. However, there is no evidence of a current left bicep disability, so the claim for this condition is denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations and opinions regarding his right hip disorder, left knee, cervical spine, and lumbar spine disabilities. The claims are not yet decided.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for scheduling a video-conference hearing. The claims of service connection for cervical and lumbar spine disabilities are not currently addressed.

The Board has determined that a VA examination is needed to assess the etiology of the Veteran's back and neck disabilities, as well as to determine if service connection can be granted for these conditions. The case will be remanded for this purpose.

The Veteran is seeking to reopen his claim for service connection for a back disorder. The VA has not attempted to obtain relevant medical records from the Mayo Clinic and Carlisi Chiropractic Center, which may contain evidence pertinent to his claim. As such, the case must be remanded to obtain these records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cervical spine disability is service connected as a direct result of an in-service injury, and his bilateral knee disability is also service connected. However, there is no evidence to support the claim for a bilateral upper extremity disability.

The Board found no evidence to support a direct service connection for the Veteran's neck disorder or headaches, and denied both claims.