Neck / cervical spine Board decisions

The Veteran's cervical strain and lumbosacral strain are currently rated at 10 percent, with no separate rating for left upper extremity radiculopathy. The Board has determined that the current ratings adequately reflect the severity of these conditions.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for increased ratings for headaches and herniated nucleus pulposus and degenerative disc disease with spondylosis of the cervical spine.

The Veteran's claim is granted for service connection of cervical myofascial pain syndrome, but denied for service connection of cervical spine degenerative joint disease.

The Board has ordered additional development due to the need for updated medical records and a corrected address. The Veteran's cervical spine disability claim will be reconsidered after these steps are completed.

The Board has ordered additional development due to the need for clarification of etiology and service connection determinations for hypertension, calcium deposits of the lungs, and cervical spine disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for cervical dysplasia and human papilloma virus (HPV) were denied as there is no evidence of a current disability for which service connection can be granted.

The Veteran does not have active malaria, nor any current residuals of malaria. Therefore, he is denied a compensable rating for malaria or residuals of malaria.

The Veteran's psychiatric disability, including bipolar affective disorder, is found to be caused or aggravated by his service-connected lumbar myositis and right rotator cuff tendonitis. The appeal for the cervical spine disability issue has been withdrawn.

The Board finds that the Veteran's cervical spine disability is not related to active service and therefore denies his claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's neck, low back, right hip, and left hip disabilities are at least as likely as not aggravated by his service-connected bilateral pes cavus. Therefore, these disabilities have been granted secondary service connection.

The Board has determined that the appellant's claimed conditions are not service-connected, and thus denied his claims for service connection.

The Board finds that the Veteran's cervical spine disability and residuals of a back injury, to include left leg radiculopathy, did not have their onset during active service or within one year following separation from active duty. The evidence does not support a finding of direct service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability is currently rated at 40 percent, which is the maximum rating available under the revised criteria. The appeal for a higher rating is denied.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional examinations and development of his employment history. The TDIU issue will be reviewed by the Under Secretary for Benefits or Director of Compensation and Pension Service to determine if an extra-schedular evaluation is warranted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA medical records and scheduling a new VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected cervical spine disability. The issue of an increased rating for right cervical radiculopathy will also be addressed.

The Board has determined that additional examinations and evidence are needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims, including for service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a lumbar spine disability and an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for cervical spine degenerative disc disease. The evidence did not support a finding that her current conditions were related to her military service.

The Veteran's current cervical spine disability is related to service, and a VA examination is needed to determine the etiology of his condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's neck and low back disabilities were not incurred in or aggravated by service, and therefore denied his claims for service connection.

The Board found no evidence of arthritis in areas other than the cervical spine and denied service connection for non-cervical spine osteoarthritis for accrued benefits purposes.