Neck / cervical spine Board decisions

The Veteran's service connection claims for cervical and lumbar spine arthritis have been denied as there is no evidence of a direct relationship to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for acquired psychiatric disorders, left shoulder injury, neck injury, right knee injury, and left knee injury were denied as there is no evidence of a nexus between the claimed conditions and active military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including degenerative disc disease and degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine, cervical spine, tinnitus, right knee disorders, and bilateral hearing loss, do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The claims of service connection for a cervical spine disability, sleep apnea, and hypertension are being remanded due to incomplete records from the National Guard. The deviated nasal septum claim is denied as it does not result in obstruction of the nasal passages.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's lumbar and cervical spine disorders, including whether they are related to service. The claims will be remanded for further action.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to scheduling issues for a Travel Board hearing. His claims for increased ratings for cervical spine arthritis, right shoulder rotator cuff syndrome, and bilateral hearing loss are still pending.

The Board denied service connection for back disability, including spondylosis of the lumbar spine and degenerative disc disease (DDD) of the lumbar, cervical and thoracic spine, as well as numbness of the left side. The decision was mixed, with some issues granted and others not.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diagnosed osteoarthritis of the cervical spine and occipital headaches are not related to service, but PTSD is found to be incurred in service.

The Veteran's psychiatric disorder and cervical spine disorder are not related to his military service, but may be secondary to a service-connected disability. The Board denied the claims for these disorders.

The Board finds no evidence of a cervical spine disorder during service and the preponderance of the evidence shows that any current low back disorder is not related to active service. The Veteran's lay assertions regarding in-service injuries are found to be incredible.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for a cervical spine disability and is granting it on the basis that new and material evidence has been received. The issue now goes to determining if the current condition is related to military service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for low back and cervical spine disorders are being remanded due to the need to obtain additional medical records.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected cervical spine disability is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and consideration of new evidence.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability is rated at 20 percent prior to June 28, 2011 and increased to 30 percent beginning on that date. The left ulnar neuropathy of the upper extremity remains at a 10 percent rating.

The Veteran's cervical spine strain and lumbar spine disc herniation with radiculopathy of the left lower extremity are each rated at 30 percent, effective November 1, 2008. The Veteran's migraine headaches are rated as noncompensable.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, when combined with his education and occupational experience, do not preclude him from participating in all forms of substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for cervical disc degeneration and spondylosis of the lumbar spine were denied as his conditions did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under VA regulations.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome and degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine are being remanded due to inadequate examination in May 2007. A new VA compensation examination is needed to consider all theories of entitlement, including direct, secondary, and presumptive service connection.

The Board found that the Veteran's current cervical spine, right arm numbness, and right leg numbness disorders are not related to his service. The chronic headache disorder was also not linked to his service or a service-connected disability.

The Board has granted service connection for ankylosing spondylitis of the cervical spine, finding that it is related to active military service. The Veteran's hidradenitis with scarring remains under consideration.