Neck / cervical spine Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cervical spine disorder and bilateral shoulder disorders are related to his service, warranting service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for cervical strain and right carpal tunnel syndrome, as well as his claim for a noncompensable rating for onychomycosis. The effective date of service connection for sleep apnea was set at June 5, 2009.

The Veteran's cervical spine and low back disabilities are currently rated at the maximum available ratings of 20 percent for each condition. The VA has determined that these conditions do not warrant a higher rating based on current symptomatology.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a new video conference hearing due to his inability to attend the previously scheduled one.

The Veteran's claims for higher initial ratings for cervical dorsal strain and service connection for low back disability, right hip disability, and right knee disability were denied. The Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of a right hip or right knee disability.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and a new examination to determine the nature and etiology of her acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board denied service connection for myopia, cervical dysplasia, and right knee disorder due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board finds that the Veteran's cervical spine disability is due to disease or injury incurred in active service, and grants the claim of entitlement to service connection for a cervical spine disability.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for cervical radiculopathy of the right upper extremity is being remanded due to additional development needed, including a VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not have a current left hearing loss disability, but granted service connection for PTSD and other psychiatric disabilities. Service connection was also denied for personality disorder, testicular disability, right inguinal hernia, and cervical spine disability.

The Board found that the Veteran's cervical and lumbar spine disabilities were not incurred or aggravated by service, as there was no evidence of a nexus between his current conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus and a cervical spine disorder, to include DISH, are being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA medical opinions and scheduling the Veteran for appropriate examinations to assess his cervical spine and bilateral knee disabilities, as well as the severity of his service-connected lumbosacral strain with DJD.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA and private treatment records, arranging for a VA examination to determine the severity of the Veteran's cervical spine disability and forehead scar, and obtaining an addendum opinion from the April 2012 VA audiological examiner regarding the nature and etiology of his bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Veteran has withdrawn all issues currently under appeal.

The Board found that the Veteran's current cervical spine disability is not related to his military service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling appropriate VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of any diagnosed bilateral hip, cervical spine, and lumbar spine disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining an addendum opinion from the VA examiner and requesting additional medical records.

The Board found that the Veteran's current back and neck disabilities are not related to his military service, as there is no evidence of a chronic disability in service or within one year after separation. The intervening injuries post-service also suggest that any pre-existing conditions did not persist.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development of evidence, including obtaining updated treatment records and conducting further examinations. The Veteran's claims for service connection for wrist and neck disabilities are being reviewed.