Neck / cervical spine Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and Social Security Administration (SSA) records. The veteran is also to be provided with a VA examination to determine the nature, extent, and etiology of his cervical spine disability.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for right acromioclavicular joint bursitis and arthritis, traumatic arthritis and degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine, and headaches, residuals of whiplash injury were denied. The current evaluations are 40 percent, 20 percent, and 10 percent respectively.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for hearing loss, loss of sense of smell, loss of sense of taste, and cervical spine disability. The evidence did not establish a direct relationship between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran is entitled to a 20 percent rating for fibromyalgia since April 21, 2004. The evidence shows widespread musculoskeletal pain and tender points with fatigue, sleep disturbance, stiffness, paresthesias, headache, irritable bowel symptoms, depression, anxiety, or Raynaud's-like symptoms that are nearly constant.

The veteran's cervical and thoracolumbar spine disabilities, bilateral eye conditions (including cataracts and glaucoma), blurred vision of the left eye, concussion, peripheral vestibular disorder, tinnitus, and depression are not related to his military service. The veteran does not have any service-connected disabilities that would allow him to be granted a TDIU.

The veteran's appeals for service connection on the issues of bilateral leg disorder, cervical spine disorder, lumbar spine disorder, and bilateral foot disorder have been dismissed due to withdrawal by the veteran.

The Board has determined that the veteran's diagnosed carpal tunnel syndrome and cervical radiculopathy were not incurred in or aggravated by active service.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have any of the claimed conditions related to his military service, and thus denied all claims for service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran's cervical spine, right shoulder, and left shoulder disorders were not incurred or aggravated by service. The claims for these conditions are therefore denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current cervical spine disability, claimed as a neck injury, was not incurred in or aggravated by active service and is not related to her military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and cervical arthritis, finding that there was no evidence of a current disability or a link to service. The claim for tinnitus is pending.

The Board has determined that the veteran's cervical spine disorder did not have onset during service, was not related to his service-connected residuals of a lobectomy, and is unrelated to his service. Therefore, service connection for a cervical spine disorder is denied.

The Board found that the veteran's current cervical spine disability, including radiculopathy of the upper extremities, is not related to the in-service accident. The VA examiner stated that due to the location of the head scar and force transmission, it is less than 50/50 probability that the veteran's spine problems are due to this injury.

The veteran is seeking service connection for cervical spine and left hand/forearm disorders, which he claims are related to his service-connected low back pain. The Board has determined that additional VA examinations are needed to address the etiology of these conditions.

The veteran's intervertebral disc syndrome of the cervical spine was initially evaluated at 10 percent from December 26, 2001 and increased to 40 percent beginning on September 13, 2002. The case is remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and verifying stressor events.

The veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his request for withdrawal of the claims for initial ratings in excess of 20 percent for degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine and lumbar spine.

The Board has granted service connection for tension headaches as they are aggravated by a service-connected cervical spine strain. The claim for left shoulder condition is denied as there is no current diagnosis of such condition.

Service connection is denied for all claimed conditions. The Board finds no evidence of current disability or in-service incurrence or aggravation of the claimed conditions.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection have been denied across multiple issues, including neck disability, hip disability, bilateral hearing loss, right shoulder disability, and acquired psychiatric disability. The RO previously denied these claims as there was no evidence of in-service injury or disease related to these conditions.