Neck / cervical spine Board decisions

The Board finds that the Veteran does not have a current cervical spine disability and there is no evidence to support an in-service injury or disease leading to his current condition. The Veteran's service personnel records show he served in combat in Vietnam, but a cervical spine disability is not among the diseases listed for presumptive service connection based on herbicide exposure.

The Board has granted service connection for left knee musculoligamentous strain and tinnitus, finding that there is a medical relationship between the Veteran's current conditions and his military service.,Service connection was denied for degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine due to lack of objective findings during VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a cervical spine disorder, bilateral knee disorder, and an increased rating for lumbar spine fusion are being remanded due to the need to obtain additional private treatment records.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a cervical spine disability, finding that it is at least as likely as not related to her military service.

The Board denied service connection for cervical and thoracolumbar spine disabilities, finding that the current conditions are not related to service.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability is found to have originated during service. The Board grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claims of entitlement to service connection for a right knee disability and back disability. However, the Veteran does not have current diagnoses of neck, bilateral hip, or acquired psychiatric disabilities, and there is no competent medical evidence linking any of these conditions to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's DDD of the cervical spine is causally related to his active service, and thus grants the claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining pathological materials from the Veteran's cervical spine tumor surgery.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including the issuance of a Statement of the Case (SOC) and consideration of all evidence received after the August 2011 SOC.

The Board has recharacterized the issues on appeal to include service connection for arthritis of the cervical spine, arthritis of the lumbar spine, and arthritis of the shoulders. The Veteran's claims are granted as his current disabilities are found to be at least as likely as not related to active service.

The Board found that there is no evidence linking the Veteran's current cervical spine disability to service, and thus denied service connection for this condition. The paresthesias of the upper extremities were also not linked to service.

The Veteran's service-connected cervical spine disability does not result in favorable ankylosis of the cervical spine or the entire spine, and there are no incapacitating episodes. The current rating of 30 percent is therefore appropriate.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, effective May 4, 2008.

The Veteran's cervical strain and low back strain have been rated as 20 percent and 10 percent, respectively. The reduction from 20 to 10 percent was improper.,The Veteran's low back strain has not met the criteria for a higher rating under either the General Formula or IVDS Formula at any point during the period on appeal.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for her lumbar spine disability is granted, effective from January 1, 2014. Her right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome and varicose veins are rated as appropriate. The left knee claim to reopen and the lower extremity varicose veins effective date claim are referred back to the AOJ for further action.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for her service-connected cervical spine disability was denied. The current rating of 20 percent from July 1, 2009 through June 29, 2011 and 30 percent since June 29, 2011 is not higher than what the evidence supports.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right ankle disability was denied. The evidence did not establish that she had a current right ankle disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cause of death, intracerebral hemorrhage due to hypertension, was related to his service-connected disabilities and grants service connection for the cause of death.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current cervical spine arthritis and pain (neck disability) is service-connected as it meets the criteria for service connection based on continuity of symptomatology since service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the AOJ for development of his pending increased rating claims and readjudication after any necessary development has been completed. The TDIU claim will be considered in conjunction with these new developments.