Neck / cervical spine Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the current nature and etiology of the Veteran's left shoulder and cervical spine disabilities, as well as their relationship to service. The Veteran is required to undergo a VA examination to determine these issues.

The Board has ordered the VA to obtain additional service treatment records from the Veteran's period of active duty service in Vietnam, particularly any reports from the U.S. Air Force Base Hospital at Cam Ranh Bay and/or Tan Son Nhut where the Veteran was treated for cervical back pain in 1967. The VA is also instructed to review the claims file with a new examiner who may provide an opinion on the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed cervical and lumbar spine disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and restoration of service connection were remanded due to the need for further development.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for various disabilities, including kidney disability, bilateral hearing loss, cervical spine disability, head injury residuals, left clavicle injury residuals, low back disability, and sciatica. The appeal is not about service connection at all.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to schedule a hearing before the Board of Veterans' Appeals at the RO.

The Board finds that the Veteran's psychiatric disability is related to her service-connected left ankle disability, and her headaches are related to active service. However, there is no evidence of a direct relationship between any other claimed disabilities and service.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals regarding his claims for service connection for various disabilities, including bilateral knee disability, bilateral hearing loss, neuropathy of the upper extremities, right eye disability, cervical spine disability, headaches, and acne vulgaris. The appeals are dismissed due to withdrawal by the Veteran.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and adjudication, including a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's current cervical spine disability is related to service or secondary to his service-connected Reiter's syndrome.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine with cervical to trapezius symptomatology is service-connected as a direct result of his military service.

The Veteran's cervical spine disorder is being remanded for further development as the claim involves a secondary service connection issue. The Board will consider all submitted evidence and provide another Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC).

The Board has granted service connection for a lumbar spine disorder and a cervical spine disorder, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are at least as likely as not aggravated by his in-service injury. The claim for an initial rating higher than 30 percent for PTSD is remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran was not unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities prior to July 13, 2007. As such, an effective date earlier than July 13, 2007 for the award of a TDIU rating is denied.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining a medical examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's lumbar, thoracic, and cervical spine disabilities. The appeal is now pending again with the RO/AMC.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for service connection for PTSD, a sleep disorder, and residuals of a neck and back injury. The Board does not have jurisdiction to consider these matters as the appeal is dismissed.

The Veteran's service-connected left hip condition, arthritis of the left hip with Legg-Perthes disease, status post total left hip replacement, is rated at 90 percent from September 30, 1986. The cervical spine disability is rated as 60 percent disabling since July 13, 2011. The Veteran's right and left knee disabilities are each rated at 10 percent.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a service-connected disability for any of the conditions she claims, including PTSD, hiatal hernia, hypertension, burn scar on the right middle finger, sleep disorder, hordeolum of the right eyelid, arthritis of the cervical spine, arthritis of the knees, arthritis of the feet, arthritis of the hands, arthritis of the wrists, arthritis of the elbows, and arthritis of the right shoulder.

The Veteran's claims for an initial compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss and a higher rating for his cervical spine disability were both denied by the Board.

The Board found no medical evidence linking the Veteran's current cervical spine, bilateral hip, and bilateral heel spur disabilities to his active service. The VA examiner concluded that these conditions were more likely age-related than service-connected.

The Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and therefore the claim for DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318 is denied.

The Board found that the Veteran's TDIU benefits should not be restored as he had been employed for at least 12 months prior to May 1, 2009 and his income exceeded the poverty threshold.