Neck / cervical spine Board decisions

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and a VA orthopedic examination.

The veteran's claims for increased disability ratings for his cervical and dorsal spine arthritis are being remanded to the RO/AMC for additional development, including a VA examination.

The veteran's claims for service connection for left knee disability, cervical spine disability, and psychiatric disability (learning disability) have been denied. The right knee disability is not service connected.

The Board has determined that the veteran's left shoulder, cervical spine, and knee disabilities are not service-connected. The lumbar spine disability is granted with a rating of 10 percent from July 22, 1999 to December 18, 2002; 20 percent from December 19, 2002 to April 19, 2004; and 60 percent thereafter. The veteran's frostbite of the feet is rated as 20 percent disabling for each foot.

The Board denied service connection for cervical spondylosis with post-operative residuals of discectomy and fusion at C3-4 and C4-5, avascular necrosis of the hips, and residuals of a herniated nucleus pulposus of the lumbosacral spine with residuals of a compression fracture of the 1st lumbar vertebra. The veteran's conditions were found to be not incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the spine, cervical spine disability with arthritis, and bilateral shoulder disability. The claims for increased ratings for low back pain, right inguinal hernia repair, hemorrhoids, and chronic prostatitis have also been denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of entitlement to increased ratings for hypothyroidism and service connection for patello-femoral syndrome, right knee; sinusitis; sore joints (undiagnosed illness); cervical spine degenerative arthritis (undiagnosed illness); and edema (claimed as fluid retention in legs).

The veteran's service connection claims for upper respiratory infections, bronchitis, sinusitis, left wrist strain, osteophytes of the right hip, gastritis, degenerative changes and degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine, spondylitic disc disease of the cervical spine, tendonitis of the left elbow, and tendonitis of the right elbow have been granted. The veteran's claim for a higher initial evaluation for his service-connected conditions has also been granted.

The Board granted the veteran's motion to vacate that part of its September 2007 decision, which denied service connection for herpes zoster to include as secondary to a disability of the cervical spine. The other issues were not addressed due to procedural errors.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the veteran's claim for service connection for a cervical spine disability. The claim is now reopened.

The Board found no evidence of a cervical spine disorder in service and denied the veteran's claim for service connection. The VA examiner did not provide sufficient opinions regarding whether the veteran's peripheral vascular disease is related to diabetes mellitus or service.

The Board found that the veteran's cervical spine fusion at C3-4 and C6-7 is a congenital defect, not related to service or service-connected conditions. Therefore, the claim for service connection was denied.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations and TDIU were denied. The lumbar spine disability was granted a separate evaluation for mild incomplete sciatic nerve paralysis, left lower extremity through June 2, 2003.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, finding that new evidence did not establish a current disability or link to his service-connected right knee disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete information regarding the veteran's claimed stressors and insufficient notice on new and material evidence for reopening claims of service connection. The case will be returned to the RO for further development.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claims for service connection for neck, back and right shoulder disorders. However, further development is needed to determine the etiology of these conditions and whether they are related to service.

The VA denied an increased evaluation for the veteran's cervical spine disability, finding that his condition does not warrant a rating in excess of 40 percent.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the claims for service connection for cervical and lumbar spine disorders, a right leg disorder, dysthymic disorder, migraine headaches, shortness of breath, vasomotor rhinitis, hemorrhoids, colon polyps, hypertension, left hand disorder, and carpal tunnel syndrome. The evidence submitted is either cumulative or does not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claims.

The veteran's claims for service connection for irritable bowel syndrome, chronic bronchitis, and a cervical spine disorder were denied. The claim for the skin rash was also addressed but not specified in terms of rating or effective date.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for service connection of a cervical (neck) disorder, finding no current disability and insufficient evidence to establish a link between his military service and any diagnosed condition.