Neck / cervical spine Board decisions

The Veteran's hypertension, atrial tachycardia, and chronic lumbar strain are rated at the maximum allowable under VA regulations. The other conditions have been evaluated as noncompensable or with a 10% rating.

The Board found that the Veteran's current cervical spine disorder was not incurred in or aggravated by service and is not otherwise related to active duty service.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability is rated at 30 percent since January 18, 2000. Effective March 10, 2014, the Veteran's right shoulder radiculopathy associated with his cervical spine degenerative joint disease warrants a separate 40 percent rating.

The Board found that the Veteran's back and neck disabilities were caused by his service-connected right knee disability, granting service connection for these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a chronic left ankle, right ankle, tailbone, or lumbar spine disability. The service connection for cervical spine and right shoulder disabilities is also denied as there is no evidence of such disabilities during active service.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further medical development to assess his need for regular aid and attendance due to his back and neck injuries.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development and examination, including medical opinions regarding his claimed disabilities.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for sleep apnea has been reopened, and it is at least as likely as not that his obstructive sleep apnea began during active military service. The Veteran's PTSD and tension headaches are rated based on their impact on daily life.

The Board has found that the Veteran's cervical spine disability is etiologically related to his active service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to missing VA and private medical records, inadequate VA examination, and incomplete consideration of the claims.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims, including obtaining VA and private treatment records, scheduling addendum opinions from a VA examiner, and scheduling a VA examination to determine if any hip disability is related to service.

The Veteran's claims for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for right shoulder osteoarthritis and earlier effective dates for service connection were granted. The effective date for the grant of service connection was set at June 27, 2007, while the effective date for the increased rating remains pending.

The Board has remanded the case due to the Veteran's inability to attend a scheduled Travel Board hearing. The appeal is being returned for scheduling a new hearing at the RO.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including lumbosacral strain with degenerative changes and limitation of motion of the cervical spine, have rendered him unemployable as of May 5, 2014.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and to conduct further development of his claims, including obtaining SSA benefits determination and any necessary examinations or opinions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the AOJ for review of additional evidence and for a VA examination.

The Veteran withdrew the appeals for increased evaluations of lumbar spine degenerative arthritis, cervical spine degenerative arthritis, right elbow bursitis, tinnitus and right ear hearing loss prior to the promulgation of a decision.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disability was denied. The Board found no evidence of a chronic right knee disorder during service and concluded that the preponderance of the evidence is against the claim.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a traumatic brain injury and an increased rating for degenerative arthritis (cervical spine) are denied. The claim for a compensable rating for status post left testicular varicocele surgery with residual scar is also denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed cervical spine and right index finger conditions are not related to service, and thus denied these claims.