Neck / cervical spine Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current cervical spine disabilities are not related to his active duty service and have denied both direct and secondary service connection claims.

The Veteran's claim for a temporary total disability rating due to treatment for cervical strain requiring convalescence is being remanded as the service connection theory and evidence need further clarification.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a neck disability is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including scheduling an examination and obtaining an addendum opinion.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for various service-connected disabilities, finding that none of them warranted a rating higher than 20 percent.

The Veteran's degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine is currently rated at 20 percent, which meets the criteria for a higher rating. The appeal was granted.

The Veteran seeks service connection for a cervical spine disorder, which he attributes to his active duty service. The Board has determined that additional development is needed due to the lack of medical nexus opinions and VA treatment records.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU is being remanded due to the need to adjudicate his increased rating claims and complete additional development, including obtaining an addendum opinion regarding whether his service-connected disabilities render him unemployable.

The Board found that the Veteran's cervical and thoracolumbar spine disabilities did not manifest during active military service or within one year of separation, and concluded they were caused by psoriatic arthritis and associated degeneration rather than a back injury in service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining Air Force records related to a claimed in-service automobile accident and scheduling a VA examination. The Veteran's claim for service connection for a cervical spine disability will be reconsidered based on the additional evidence.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection due to insufficient evidence in the record.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability is rated at 20 percent for the period beginning September 6, 2011. The Board found that his symptoms did not meet or approximate criteria warranting a higher evaluation based on functional impairment due to pain and other factors. Service connection was granted for left upper extremity radiculopathy.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for low back and neck disabilities in June 1997. The evidence received since then is not new and material, so the claims cannot be reopened.

The Board has ordered additional development due to the inadequacies of a previous examination, including not discussing all disabilities and their impact on employment. The Veteran is required to provide information about any VA or private healthcare providers who have treated him since 2006.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability is currently rated at 20 percent, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is currently rated at 20 percent, and his cervical spine disability was previously rated at 10 percent prior to October 22, 2008. Since then, it has been rated at 20 percent. The Board finds that the current ratings adequately reflect the severity of these disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine and radiculopathy of the right upper extremity, finding that these conditions are related to service.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence to support the Veteran's claims for service connection for cervical spine, thoracic spine, and numbness in both upper extremities disabilities. The preponderance of the evidence fails to establish a link between these conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for a neck disability was reopened and granted, with an initial rating of 10 percent effective August 31, 2004.,Service connection for myelopathy, radiculopathy of the bilateral upper extremities, and radiculopathy of the bilateral lower extremities were also granted as secondary to a neck disability. The Veteran's low back injury was rated at various levels from 10 percent to 40 percent.

The Board found that the Veteran does not meet criteria for service connection for PTSD, and his claimed low back disorder is best characterized as primary insomnia. The Veteran's other claims of service connection were denied due to lack of a diagnosed condition within one year post-service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current lumbar spine disability is related to his service, and thus grants service connection for this condition. The issue of cervical spine disability remains pending.