Neck / cervical spine Board decisions

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, residuals of cervical dysplasia, and chronic urinary tract infections (UTIs), as well as a rating in excess of 10 percent for a painful scar of a donor site, status post-left nephrectomy. The Board found that there was no evidence of a link between the Veteran's current conditions and her service.

The Board found that the Veteran's current cervical and thoracic spine disabilities are not related to his military service or any service-connected disability. The evidence does not support a finding of direct service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's headaches, which are rated as a cervical strain disability, have been found to be severe enough to warrant a 30% rating since November 29, 2009. Prior to this date, the Veteran did not meet criteria for any higher rating.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further action, including scheduling a hearing before the Board at the RO in Muskogee, Oklahoma.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining relevant medical records and arranging for a VA examination to determine if any diagnosed disabilities are related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current disability for which service connection can be granted, including articulation disorder (hip), fatigue and low energy, hyperlipidemia, IBS, or diverticulitis. Therefore, his claims are denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and scheduling a VA examination. The Veteran seeks an increased rating for his service-connected cervical spine disability.

The Veteran's lumbar and cervical spine disabilities have been rated at 20 percent since May 1, 1996. The Board has determined that the current ratings are appropriate based on the evidence of record.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings of his PTSD and cervical spine disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations, as well as the retrieval of relevant medical records.

The Veteran's degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine is currently rated at 20 percent, and the Board finds that this rating adequately reflects his disability level and symptomatology.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbar and cervical spine disabilities, as well as his bilateral leg disability (sciatica), are not related to service. The claims for these conditions have been denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for lumbar, thoracic, and cervical spine disorders due to a lack of credible evidence showing an in-service injury or event that led to these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal was denied as his conditions were found to be service-connected and not warranting an increased rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection are not properly adjudicated and requires further examination to determine the nature and etiology of her claimed conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including VA examinations to address the nature and etiology of his claimed cervical spine disorder, left hand carpal tunnel syndrome, headache disorder, and acquired psychiatric disorders.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral TKA with history of chondromatosis is found to have caused secondary disabilities in his left leg, shoulders, and cervical spine. The left knee has been rated at 30 percent since June 2003.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbar and cervical spine disabilities as secondary to service-connected prostate cancer residuals. The Veteran's combined disability picture, including the newly service-connected spinal conditions, is found to prevent substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for back and cervical spine disabilities are being remanded due to the need for a VA examination. The claim for psychiatric disability is also inextricably intertwined and will be remanded as well.

The Board granted service connection for myofascial pain syndrome of the thoraco-cervical spine and assigned a noncompensable (zero percent) initial rating, which was later increased to 20 percent effective April 3, 2008. The Veteran's forward flexion of the cervical spine is currently limited to 40 degrees with no evidence of painful motion.

The Veteran's service-connected DDD of the cervical spine is rated at 30 percent prior to April 19, 2011 due to forward flexion restricted to 15 degrees or less.