Neck / cervical spine Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining treatment records and conducting examinations to evaluate the severity of the Veteran's service-connected conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's chronic neck and back disabilities are not service-connected, as they are not shown to be related to her active duty or secondary to her service-connected tardive dyskinesia.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of a neck disability is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including an examination and review of medical records.

The Board is reopening the claim of entitlement to service connection for an eye disorder (defective vision) and remanding it along with the other three claims for further development. The Veteran should be scheduled for VA compensation examinations for his claims for service connection for a neck or cervical spine condition, sleeping problems, and an eye disability.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for higher disability ratings or service connection.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for various musculoskeletal disorders, including cervical spine disorder, bilateral knee disorders, and bilateral shoulder disorders. The evidence does not support a direct or secondary relationship to service.

The Veteran's appeals of increased ratings for cervical spine and left shoulder disabilities, as well as her claim for service connection for bilateral hip disability, have been dismissed due to withdrawal by the Veteran at the October 2013 Board hearing.

The Veteran's neck disability (arthritis of the cervical spine with strain) was granted service connection. Initial compensable ratings for IBS and TMD were also granted.

The Board found no evidence of a current cervical spine disability and concluded that the Veteran's reported neck pain is not related to her service or service-connected right knee condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cervical spine disorder and nerve damage to the bilateral upper extremities are not related to his military service. The evidence does not establish continuity of symptomatology after service, nor is there any evidence showing a compensable degree of disability within one year post-service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral ulnar nerve disability and cervical spine (neck) disability, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, but denied service connection for a neck disability. The Veteran's current neck disability is not presumed to have been incurred in service.

The Veteran's service-connected cervical spine disability does not manifest any separately ratable neurological manifestations, including upper extremity radiculopathy. Therefore, a separate compensable rating for this condition is denied.

The Board found that the Veteran's cervical radiculopathy and hypertension were not incurred or aggravated by service, nor are they related to his service-connected diabetes. Therefore, service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including TBI and headaches, were denied as the evidence did not support a nexus to service.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded for further review by the Director of Compensation and Pension Service due to his service-connected disabilities, including cervical disc disease with history of myositis and pharyngo-tonsillitis. The combined rating does not meet the percentage standards provided in 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(a), but a TDIU on an extraschedular basis is being considered.

The Veteran's compensation benefits were terminated due to his fugitive felon status, but the Board found that this termination was solely due to administrative error and thus not properly created.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed in order to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims, including obtaining medical records and arranging for examinations.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied. The RO granted the claim to assign a rating of 40 percent for status post back injury with lumbar strain and degenerative disc disease, effective May 23, 2008.

The Veteran's neck disability, characterized by limited motion and pain, has been rated at 20 percent since the period on appeal. This rating is appropriate given his range of motion limitations.