Neck / cervical spine Board decisions

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development to obtain medical records and determine the nature and etiology of his psychiatric and cervical spine disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbar and cervical spine disabilities are not service-connected as they did not manifest during his active duty or are not related to any service-connected disability.

The Board found that the Veteran's cervical spine disability, which is diagnosed as degenerative joint disease, pre-existed service and did not increase in severity during service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar and cervical spine disabilities, bilateral upper and lower extremity radiculopathy and/or neuropathy, and sleep apnea. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by active duty service.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeal seeking to reopen a claim of entitlement to service connection for post-operative cervical rib, left, with scars. The Board does not have jurisdiction to consider this matter as the appeal is dismissed.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions have prevented him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's cervical spine degenerative disk disease is currently rated at 20 percent, which meets the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the case is dismissed.

The Veteran's appeal involves claims for service connection for a cervical spine disorder and a bilateral foot disorder. The Board has determined that additional development is needed, including obtaining medical records and conducting examinations to address the issues.

The Veteran's cervical spine compression fracture and lumbar spine degenerative disc disease were not rated higher than 10 percent throughout the appeal period.

The Veteran's appeal includes multiple issues related to various disabilities, including hearing loss, elbow and knee conditions, spine disorders, foot problems, and a scar. The case is being remanded for further development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cervical spine disorder and peripheral neuropathy of bilateral upper extremities were not incurred or aggravated by service, nor are they related to a service-connected disability.

The Board found that the Veteran's left leg meralgia paresthesia/lumbar radiculopathy and cervical spine stenosis with disc disease were not incurred in or aggravated by service, nor may they be presumed to have been so incurred or aggravated.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability is rated at 20 percent, effective December 14, 2004. She was granted a separate rating of 10 percent for left upper extremity neurologic deficit and denied for right upper extremity neuralgia.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a new examination to assess the severity of his cervical spine disability.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not result in an impairment of his ability to prepare for, obtain, or retain employment consistent with his abilities, aptitudes and interests.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cervical spine arthritis is related to his active duty service and granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected cervical spine condition was denied. The RO assigned a 20 percent evaluation effective September 1, 2004.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's neck and back disabilities are at least as likely as not incurred during his active service, with application of the benefit-of-the-doubt rule.