Neck / cervical spine Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a video conference hearing. The issues of rating hepatitis C, service connection for right leg disability, and service connection for neck disability are pending.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cervical spine disability and headaches are related to his service, with no presumption or secondary connection involved.

The Board finds that the evidence is in relative equipoise, meaning about evenly balanced for and against the claim, and grants service connection for a cervical spine disorder (DJD).

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee arthritis, degenerative joint disease of the cervical spine, and hypertension. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to his military service.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for initial compensable ratings for right ear hearing loss and scarring of the right shoulder as the appellant withdrew these claims prior to a decision.

The Board found that the Veteran's neck, upper back, and headache disabilities were not incurred in or aggravated by service. The VA examinations did not find a direct link to service, and the examiner opined that these conditions are less likely than not caused by or related to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's right ankle disability is rated at 20 percent, and the Board has granted this rating. The cervical spine and lumbar spine disabilities are not service-connected based on direct evidence or secondary to a service-connected condition.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any cervical spine, right knee, and left knee disorders.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete service records and will consider ACDUTRA/INACDUTRA service in addition to active duty.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on the issues of lumbar spine disability, cervical spine disability, left leg fracture, left tailbone fracture, and right arm fracture have been withdrawn by his representative.

The Board denied an increased rating for lumbosacral strain with intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS) (lumbar spine disability), granted a higher rating of 40 percent for the lumbar spine disability, and did not address the other issues.

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to adjudicate the Veteran's claims, including obtaining private treatment records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine, right hip, left hip, and cervical spine disorders. The Veteran's conditions are found to be causally related to his active duty service.

The Board has not been able to determine if the Veteran's cervical spine degenerative joint disease is secondary to his service-connected thoracolumbar spine disability, and there are outstanding treatment records that need to be obtained. The appeal for bilateral upper extremity neuropathy is inextricably intertwined with the appeal for cervical spine degenerative joint disease.

The Veteran's initial rating for his cervical spine disability has been granted, but the appeal is now remanded due to a need for additional evidence and an examination.

The Veteran's combined rating of 70 percent for service-connected disabilities from June 1, 2004 to March 10, 2005 and 90 percent thereafter meets the threshold requirements for a TDIU. The appeal is granted.

The VA denied an increased evaluation and extraschedular rating for the cervical spine disability, finding that the evidence did not support a schedular evaluation in excess of 20 percent.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current cervical spine disorder is not related to service and is not caused by or permanently worsened by his VA-compensated thoracolumbar disorder.

The Board has granted service connection for arthritis of the cervical spine as secondary to a service-connected disability (retained fragments, neck, residuals shrapnel wounds).

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cervical spine disorder is not related to her service, and thus denied her claim.