Neck / cervical spine Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied, and the reduction of his left knee disability rating was found to be improper. The Veteran did not have new and material evidence submitted to reopen several of his claims.

The Veteran's service-connected residuals of a thoracic spine injury with anterior wedging, T8-T11 are currently rated at 20 percent and his degenerative changes of the cervical spine with possible myelopathy are also rated at 20 percent. The Veteran is not entitled to an increased evaluation for either condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cervical radiculopathy of the left upper extremity was incurred during service and is granted service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings have been partially granted, with some issues being granted while others are denied. The right knee disorder claim has been reopened but the merits of the reopened claim remain pending.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability was found to not meet the criteria for a compensable rating prior to May 9, 2007 and did not meet the criteria for an increased rating from that date forward.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cervical and lumbar spine disorders, as well as their associated radiculopathy in the bilateral upper and lower extremities, are related to his service. The claims for these conditions have been granted.

The Board found that the Veteran's cervical spine arthritis was not caused or aggravated by his service-connected left spinal accessory nerve impairment, nor did it manifest within one year of separation from service. Therefore, service connection is denied.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability warrants a combined staged rating of 30 percent prior to November 19, 2007; 40 percent from November 19, 2007 to November 20, 2011; and 30 percent from November 21, 2011.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his death, and no service connection decision could be made.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including scheduling a videoconference hearing and implementing the Board's March 2011 award of a 50 percent initial rating for PTSD.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including a left knee disability, lumbar spine disability, cervical spine disability, cardiovascular disabilities, PTSD, and an acquired psychiatric disability. The decision found that these conditions were not incurred or aggravated by active service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current cervical and lumbar spine disabilities are not related to his military service. The right foot stress fracture residuals have been granted as a result of in-service injury.

The Veteran has been granted service connection for degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine and cervical spinal stenosis, which are found to be related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination to determine the etiology of his claimed disabilities and obtain any outstanding VA treatment records.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for examinations to assess her hypertension, cervical dysplasia, donor site scar, and urinary tract infections.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a VA examination and additional medical records, particularly regarding the etiology of the Veteran's cervical spine disorder.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and Social Security Administration records. He must also be afforded a VA examination to assess the nature and extent of his cervical spine, lumbar spine, and bilateral knee disabilities.

The Board found that the Veteran's cervical spine disability is not directly related to his service, arthritis of the cervical spine was not manifested in the first year following his discharge from active duty, and the cervical spine disability is not shown to have been caused or aggravated by his service-connected low back disability.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the previously denied claim of service connection for bilateral shoulder arthritis. The Veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative changes in various joints have also been denied.

The Board has determined that chronic cervical and trapezius muscle strain and degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine had their onset during active service, granting service connection for these conditions.,Meniere's disease was incurred during active service, as it had its clinical onset in 1970.