Neck / cervical spine Board decisions

The veteran is seeking service connection for PTSD and a back disability. The case has been remanded to schedule the veteran for a Travel Board hearing.

The veteran's service connection claim for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), to include as secondary to service-connected sarcoidosis, was denied. The Board found that the preponderance of evidence did not support a finding that the current GERD is related to active service or service-connected sarcoidosis.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including a VA examination to determine if the veteran's back, neck and shoulder disabilities are secondary to his service-connected Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease.

The Board granted a 30 percent disability rating for cervical strain, effective from December 21, 2006. The other claims were not addressed as the veteran withdrew his appeals.

The veteran's application for specially adapted housing or a certificate of eligibility for a special home adaptation grant due to service-connected bilateral knee disabilities is being remanded for further development and evaluation.

The veteran's appeal has been dismissed as the appellant's representative requested withdrawal of the appeal.

The Board has determined that the veteran's cervical spine disorder, diagnosed as spondyloarthropathy, was incurred during active service and granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has denied all claims for service connection as the evidence does not establish a nexus between any of the claimed conditions and service.

The Board denied a rating higher than 40 percent for the veteran's service-connected cervical spine degenerative disc disease, finding that his disability did not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation.

The veteran's hearing acuity is rated at Level II in the right ear and Level IV in the left ear, resulting in a noncompensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss.,The veteran's service-connected GERD with esophagitis does not meet the criteria for a 30 percent evaluation due to less severe symptoms such as pain, vomiting, material weight loss, hematemesis or melena, and moderate anemia.

The veteran's service-connected halo scars, cervical spine fracture, and left upper extremity nerve palsy have been granted initial ratings. The veteran is entitled to a 30 percent rating for his service-connected halo scars on the face and head, a 10 percent rating for residuals of cervical spine fracture, and a 10 percent rating for left upper extremity nerve palsy.

The veteran's service-connected mechanical low back strain and cervical strain have been granted, but the initial ratings assigned are 10 percent for both conditions. The left knee disorder has also been granted with a noncompensable evaluation.

The Board denied service connection for a cervical spine disorder and tinnitus, finding that the veteran's current conditions are not related to his active military service.

The Board has determined that the effective date for a 20% disability rating for cervical strain cannot be earlier than June 28, 2003.

The Board has vacated the August 20, 2007 decision denying an earlier effective date for a 20 percent rating for cervical strain and remanded this issue to consider it de novo.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated medical records and a VA examination to determine the extent of his service-connected cervical sprain. The case will also be reviewed for extraschedular consideration due to individual unemployability.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for a cervical neck injury and finds that it is due to disease or injury incurred in service. The veteran's current DDD of the cervical spine is considered likely related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's left shoulder and neck disabilities were not incurred or aggravated by active service, and thus denied both claims.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a left eye condition, cervical spine condition, low back condition, bilateral varicose veins, and scoliosis of the thoracic spine. The reasons were that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his military service or to any service-connected disabilities.

The veteran's cervical spine, left shoulder, and left knee disabilities are rated at the maximum allowed under current criteria. The right ankle disability is assigned a non-compensable rating. Service connection for right shoulder and right knee disabilities has been denied.