Neck / cervical spine Board decisions

The Veteran's cervical spine disorder is not shown to be related to his military service and the Board finds that it was not incurred or aggravated by service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to an inadequate VA opinion. The Veteran's lay statements regarding in-service events and observable symptoms of his back disorders will be addressed by a new examiner.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of right knee and cervical spine disorders, as well as his claim for an increased rating for left knee disability, were denied. However, the Veteran was granted a 60% rating for post-total replacement of the left knee.

The Board has determined that the VA examination and opinion are inadequate to render a decision on the Veteran's claims. The case is therefore being remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claim for vocational rehabilitation benefits was denied because he is already employed in a suitable position and does not have an employment handicap due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board finds that the Veteran's degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine is related to an in-service injury, and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and the need for additional development, including obtaining service treatment records from Guantanamo Bay and Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, as well as VA and private medical records.

The Board has granted service connection for a left ankle disability and bilateral pes planus, but denied service connection for low back, neck, and shoulder disabilities. The Veteran's current foot condition is considered to have existed prior to his military service.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 100% since June 3, 2004. His tinnitus is service-connected and rated as secondary to his hypothyroidism. The Veteran's bronchitis is not compensable but warrants a rating of 100%. Other conditions are either not shown or do not warrant increased ratings.

The Veteran's cervical spine ankylosing spondylitis is currently rated at 100 percent, the highest schedular evaluation available. The Veteran also has a separate compensable rating for his neurologic abnormalities associated with his spinal condition.

The Board found that the Veteran's current left shoulder and cervical spine disorders were not incurred in or aggravated by service, as there was no evidence of such during service and a long period without medical complaint after service. The examiner determined it less likely than not that these conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability, other than a cervical strain, is granted as service connected.,Service connection for the right and left knee disabilities is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed low back, neck, bilateral foot, bilateral hip, and arthritis of hands disabilities are not related to service. The evidence does not show a current disability or indicate that any current disability is related to service.

The case is being remanded for further evidentiary development, including obtaining missing service treatment records and conducting VA examinations to assess the current severity of the Veteran's cervical spine disorder, lumbosacral strain, right knee disability, and right ear hearing loss.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's degenerative joint disease of the cervical spine was not present in service or until many years thereafter and is not related to service or to an incident of service origin, including to his service-connected knee disabilities. Therefore, the claim for service connection for degenerative joint disease of the cervical spine is denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a cervical spine disorder and prostate cancer, as well as his claim for an increased rating for diabetes mellitus were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support service connection for these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's neck disability and thoracolumbar spine (low back) disability are not service-connected due to lack of credible evidence supporting an in-service injury or connection.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and private treatment records from Dr. Hernandez.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to a scheduling issue for a hearing before a Veterans Law Judge at his local RO. The issues of entitlement to an increased evaluation and service connection are still pending.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for cervical and lumbar spine disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations.