Neck / cervical spine Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, cervical spine disorder, right lower extremity radiculopathy, left lower extremity radiculopathy, left knee disorder, right knee disorder, eye disorder/vision loss, and periodontal disease were denied as the evidence did not establish a link between these conditions and her service.

The Veteran's cervical and lumbar sprain/strain with herniated discs were denied initial compensable or higher ratings, as well as entitlement to a TDIU prior to February 12, 2008.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right shoulder radiculopathy and peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity, as well as his increased rating claims. The Veteran was granted an increased rating of 20% for peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity.

The Board found that the Veteran did not have a cervical spine disability during service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's cervical spine degenerative disc disease is rated at 30 percent, effective from the date of decision. The Veteran's lumbar spinal degenerative joint disease was increased to 40 percent prior to November 8, 2012 and to 40 percent on and after that date.

The Veteran's service connection claim for degenerative joint disease of the cervical spine is granted, as it was incurred in service. The Board finds that his right upper extremity radiculopathy is related to his service-connected cervical spine disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his cervical spine spur at C5, degenerative spurring of the lumbar spine at L3-L4 and residuals of left knee surgery with scar as there was no evidence showing that any condition warranted a higher evaluation.

The Board has granted service connection for headaches and a cervical spine disability, both secondary to the Veteran's right upper trapezius muscle spasm. The effective date of this award is April 3, 2009.

The Board has determined that the service-connected lumbar spine arthritis and the medication taken to alleviate its symptoms contributed substantially and materially to the Veteran's death, leading to his abdominal aortic aneurysm which required surgical repair. As such, the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death is granted.

The Board has granted service connection for a variety of musculoskeletal and respiratory conditions, including shortness of breath, shoulder disorder, elbow pain, knee disorders, ankle disorders, and neck disorder. The Veteran's claims are supported by his reported symptoms in service and subsequent diagnoses.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to incomplete service treatment records and outstanding VA treatment records.

The Board has granted service connection for IBS and assigned a 10 percent disability rating, effective from August 14, 2001.

The Board found no evidence to support the Veteran's claims of service connection for back, neck, left shoulder, and right shoulder disabilities as secondary to his service-connected left knee disability. The diagnoses were not related to the service-connected condition.

The case is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and service medical records, scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of the Veteran's lumbar spine disability and left lower extremity radiculopathy during flare-ups, and completing development on issues related to neck and left hip disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case to obtain clarification of the degrees of range of motion lost due to pain during flare-ups and repetitive motion, as well as a new examination if necessary. The Veteran's cervical spine and low back disabilities will be reviewed for increased disability ratings.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cervical spine disorder is caused by his service-connected bilateral wrist disabilities, and therefore grants entitlement to service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development, including obtaining medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability caused or aggravated his claimed spinal and elbow disabilities. The case is to be returned to the Board for further appellate review.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected cervical sprain and right ankle sprain are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination to assess the current severity of these conditions.

The Board has determined that further review of the X-ray films, CT scans and MRIs is necessary to determine if the Veteran has ankylosis of the cervical spine. The case is REMANDED for this purpose.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for scheduling a Board hearing at his local VA office.