Neck / cervical spine Board decisions

The Veteran's cervical and lumbar spine disabilities are being remanded for additional development, including obtaining inpatient treatment records from the USAF Hospital in Yokota, Japan, and any outstanding post-service treatment records. The VA examiner will provide an opinion on whether these disabilities are related to service.

The Veteran's claims are being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and arranging for a VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected PTSD and to determine whether any diagnosed cervical spine disorder is related to his military service.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, but denied them on the merits due to lack of a nexus between these conditions and his military service.

The Veteran requested to withdraw his appeal regarding the service connection for a cervical spine disability, and as such, the appeal is dismissed.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for cervical spine arthritis, which he claims was caused by an incident during basic training. The VA has requested additional medical opinions to determine the relationship between his current condition and his military service.

The Board found that the Veteran's degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine and headaches were not incurred or aggravated by service, nor are they related to a service-connected disability. The claims for service connection were denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for additional development, including scheduling a videoconference hearing before a Veterans Law Judge.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current diagnoses of degenerative joint disease of the lumbar and cervical spine are not related to his active duty service. The evidence does not support a finding of in-service injury or disease, and there is no presumption of service connection for arthritis.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed neck, back, and right leg disabilities are not service-connected as they did not manifest during active duty or within a presumptive period.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The cervical and thoracic spine disability was rated at 20 percent prior to February 19, 2009, but the Board found that this did not meet the criteria for a higher rating. The left knee/leg disability was also rated at 20 percent, with no higher ratings granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a cervical spine fracture was granted effective September 13, 2002, one day after the Veteran separated from active duty.

The Veteran's claims for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 and service connection for left shoulder disability were denied due to lack of additional disability or death resulting from VA care, treatment, or examination.

The Board has restored service connection for migraine headaches and degenerative changes of the cervical spine, but denied severance of service connection for impingement syndrome of the right upper extremity. The reduction in disability rating from 30% to 0% was not proper.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further examination and consideration of his claims for service connection for cervical nerve damage with decreased strength of both arms, including as a result of in-service explosive impact during combat, and bilateral hip disabilities. The case will be readjudicated based on the new evidence.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for a cervical spine disability in December 1986. The RO again denied his petition to reopen this claim in December 1995 and September 1996, finding no new and material evidence had been received. New evidence submitted since these decisions does not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim of service connection for a cervical spine disability.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for scheduling a hearing before a Veterans Law Judge (VLJ) or a Decision Review Officer (DRO).

The Board denied service connection for hepatitis C and cervical spine disability, finding no evidence of a nexus between the disabilities and service. The Veteran's current conditions are not considered to be related to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his cervical spine disability has been denied. The current 30 percent rating is considered adequate to compensate for the Veteran's condition, given the presence of ankylosis and associated neurologic abnormalities.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral ankle, elbow, shoulder, neck, and nerve disabilities. The evidence does not establish a nexus between these conditions and active duty.

The Board found that the Veteran's cervical spine degenerative arthritis and degenerative disc disease were not incurred during service, nor are they related to his active duty service.