Neck / cervical spine Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the Board does not have jurisdiction to review the claims for increase.

The Veteran's cervical spine degenerative joint disease and thoracolumbar spine traumatic arthritis have been rated at the maximum available benefit, with no further increase in ratings granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to an outstanding hearing request by the Veteran. The case will be returned to the RO for scheduling a personal hearing before a VLJ at the Hartford RO.

The Board found that a cervical spine disorder is not the result of an in-service disease or injury, and is not related to or aggravated by a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's DDD of the lumbar spine is now rated at 40 percent effective December 12, 2011.,The Veteran's DDD of the cervical spine is now rated at 30 percent effective December 12, 2011.

The Board has remanded the case for further development of factual and medical evidence, including obtaining VA treatment records and a VA medical opinion.

The Board found that the Veteran's cervical and lumbar spine disorders are due to injuries sustained during his period of active service, granting service connection for these conditions.

The Board found that there is no competent evidence linking the Veteran's current osteoarthritis conditions to service, and thus denied his claims for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling examinations to determine the current severity of her claimed conditions.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the case is dismissed.

The Veteran's service-connected cervical and lumbar spine disabilities are currently evaluated at 20 percent each, but the Board finds that an increased evaluation is not warranted.

The Veteran's initial evaluations for his service-connected lumbar and cervical spine disabilities have been granted, with the lumbar spine receiving a 40% evaluation.

The Board has granted service connection for a bilateral foot disorder but denied service connection for a cervical spine disorder. The Veteran's bilateral foot disorder is presumed to have been incurred in service, while his cervical spine disorder is not considered to be related to service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation since January 1, 2000.

The Board found that the Veteran's current cervical spine disorder did not have its onset during active service or become manifest within the first post-service year, and thus denied his claim of entitlement to service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling examinations to determine the nature and likely etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Board found that the Veteran's claimed disorders, including headaches, cervical spine disorder, lumbar spine disorder, right knee disorder, left knee disorder, right ankle disorder, and left ankle disorder, were not incurred in service. The evidence did not establish continuity of symptomatology after service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, while sufficient to meet the schedular requirements for a TDIU, do not preclude him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including obtaining a VA examination to assess the current nature and severity of his cervical and lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, right upper extremity radiculopathy, and chronic dermatitis.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence was not received to reopen the claims for service connection for arthritis of the hands, arms, legs, and shoulders, water blisters on the hands and feet, loose teeth and calcium knots on the inside of the jaw, injury to the chest, injury to the face with steering wheel fragments, and status post fusion of the cervical spine at C5-6 with osteoarthritis to the left arm. The claims for service connection for COPD/emphysema and knee injuries are reopened.