Neck / cervical spine Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran's original claim for service connection was received on September 16, 2002, before his discharge from service. Therefore, an effective date of October 1, 2002, is granted for the grant of service connection for multiple disabilities.

The Veteran's reactive airway disease was first manifested during service and is considered to be related to service. The Board finds that the Veteran has a current low back disability, which may have been caused by his in-service urinary tract infection. A VA examination is needed to determine the likely etiology of any current cervical spine disability.

For the entire initial rating period, resolving reasonable doubt in your favor, you are entitled to a compensable (10%) disability rating for cervical spine disability.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and multiple joint disorders, are found to be severe enough to prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board found no credible evidence linking the Veteran's current cervical spine disability to his military service, including a reported injury in 1960 and treatment for an allergic reaction. The claim is denied.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to September 26, 2003 for the award of a separate evaluation for radiculopathy of the left upper extremity is granted. Effective as of September 23, 2002, he is entitled to a separate evaluation for this condition.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including VA examinations.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, finding that none of the claimed disabilities were incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for cervical spine and left knee disabilities were denied. The Board found that the current manifestations of his cervical spine disability did not warrant a rating in excess of 20 percent, while those of his left knee disability did not meet criteria for a higher than 10 percent rating.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for higher initial evaluations for his cervical spine disability and gastrointestinal disorder, finding that the criteria were not met for an increased evaluation.

The Veteran's lumbosacral herniated nucleus pulposus and cervical spine injury are currently rated at 40 percent, with a separate grant of service connection for right lower extremity radiculopathy and pain as secondary to the lumbosacral HNP. The claim is granted.

The Board found no evidence of in-service injury or disease related to the Veteran's cervical spine, shoulder, and hip disorders. The claims were denied as service connection was not established.

The Board denied all service connection claims, finding no evidence of a nexus between the claimed disabilities and active service.

The Board denied the Veteran's requests to reopen his claims for cervical spine and bilateral shoulder disabilities, finding that new and material evidence had not been submitted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cervical spine disability was not incurred in or aggravated during service and may not be presumed to have been so incurred. The thoracolumbar spine disability claim is remanded for further development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's thoracocervical spine disability and lumbar spine disability were not incurred or aggravated during service, as they are not shown to be related to any in-service injury or event. The disabilities have also not been found to be due to a disease or injury presumed by law to have occurred during service.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for his cervical spine disability was denied. His claim for service connection for a right shoulder disorder, which had previously been denied, is being considered de novo due to the submission of new evidence.

The Board found that the Veteran's current disabilities, including headaches, dizzy spells, and blurred vision, are not related to his service due to lack of a nexus between his in-service head trauma and these conditions. The cervical spine and lumbar spine disabilities were also not linked to his service.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining National Guard medical records and scheduling a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his condition.

The Board denied service connection for cervical spine and shoulder disorders, finding that the Veteran's conditions were not incurred in or aggravated by active military service and are not due to his service-connected lumbar spine disability.