Neck / cervical spine Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including scheduling a VA examination and issuing a statement of the case on several issues.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability is rated at 30 percent, but the Board found that this rating does not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation. The issue of increased evaluation remains denied.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for cervical spine disability and service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities were denied. The Veteran was not granted any new or material evidence to reopen his claim for service connection for a neurological disorder of the right arm.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and arranging for a VA examination to address the Veteran's claims.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back and cervical spine disabilities are not related to his service-connected right ankle disability or military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development, including obtaining VA and SSA records, scheduling a cervical spine examination, and providing an addendum to the November 2012 VA examiner's opinion.

The Board finds that the Veteran's cervical spine, thoracolumbar spine, and hip disabilities are related to her military service. The evidence is at least in equipoise regarding these claims.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions, including PTSD, cervical radiculopathy, and degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, are considered to have contributed substantially or materially to his death from pneumonia.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of an injury to the cervical spine and residuals of injuries to the left and right hips, legs, and left knee. The examiner concluded that any current disabilities are not related to service.,The Veteran has a diagnosed condition of spastic diplegia (hereditary spastic diplegia), which is considered a congenital or hereditary disease.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cervical and thoracic spine disorders are as likely as not aggravated by his service-connected lumbosacral strain.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for arthritis (other than spine), cervical disability, and a skin disability manifested by sores of the mouth and nose were denied as there is no competent evidence showing these conditions during her active duty or post-service. The Board found that she did not meet the threshold requirement to substantiate her claims.

The Board has granted TDIU and DEA eligibility effective October 16, 2009. The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are considered to be one disability for purposes of meeting the percentage rating requirements under 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(a).

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including asthma, lip cancer, cervical spine disability, generalized arthritis, right shoulder disability, left shoulder disability, peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities, and sinus disability. The reasons given were that there was no evidence linking these conditions to active duty service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, cervical spine degenerative disc disease, and other conditions, render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA medical records and scheduling the appellant for examinations to assess his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability is rated at 10 percent, and his lumbar spine disability was initially rated at 10 percent prior to August 23, 2011. Both disabilities remain rated as 10 percent disabling.

The Board finds that the current cervical spine disability is not related to the service-connected lumbar spine disability and thus, denies the claim for service connection.

The Board granted service connection for radiculopathy of the left lower extremity and remanded the remaining issues. The Veteran's claims for peripheral neuropathy of the left upper extremity, cervical spine disability, and acquired psychological disorder (other than PTSD) as secondary to service-connected lumbosacral strain were all granted.

The Board found that the Veteran's current cervical spine disorder and headaches are not related to his military service, including his parachute jumps during active duty for training. Therefore, service connection is denied.

The Veteran's urticaria has been rated as noncompensable (0 percent) since February 1975. The most recent VA examination in December 2013 found the Veteran to have no current diagnosis or obvious signs/symptoms of generalized urticaria, and noted that his condition did not impact daily activities.