Neck / cervical spine Board decisions

The Board found no evidence of a neck injury in service and denied the claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining medical opinions and evidence to determine if cervical dysplasia resulted from service-connected chronic cervicitis and whether hysterectomy was secondary to that condition.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative joint and disc disease of the cervical spine, finding no evidence linking his current condition to service. The TDIU claim was also denied as there were not sufficient service-connected disabilities to meet the criteria for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability prior to May 12, 2003.

The veteran's cervical discectomy, with history of avulsion injury and left spinal paralysis, is currently rated at 40 percent disabling. The Board found the condition to be productive of slight limitation of motion, severe neck pain, radicular symptoms, weakness, numbness, and paresis of the left upper extremity.

The veteran's claim for an initial rating higher than 10 percent for degenerative disc disease (DDD) of the cervical spine on and after September 26, 2003 is being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a chronic right foot disability and a chronic neck disability, finding no evidence of current disabilities or a link to service.

The Board found that the veteran's cervical spine disability, musculoskeletal tension headaches, and right hand numbness (ulnar nerve) are not related to his military service or a service-connected condition.

The Board denied increased ratings for the veteran's service-connected cervical strain and lumbosacral strain.

The Board denied an increased rating higher than 60 percent for the veteran's cervical strain with osteophytes at C4-7, status post C6 bilateral foraminotomies and also denied entitlement to a separate compensable rating. The claim for earlier effective date of July 1, 1996, for the 60 percent rating was also denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran is unemployable due to his service-connected physical disabilities, and thus, a grant of a TDIU is warranted.

The veteran's physical disabilities, including chronic lumbar strain and degenerative disease of the cervical spine, do not meet the criteria for a permanent and total disability rating for VA pension purposes due to their combined effect on his ability to maintain substantially gainful employment.

The veteran's appeal involves multiple service connection claims for various disabilities, including spinal issues, psychiatric disorders, and musculoskeletal problems. The case is being remanded to obtain additional medical records from the veteran's reserve duty period.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have any of the claimed conditions and therefore, service connection is denied for all issues.

The Board found that the veteran's degenerative joint disease of the lumbar and cervical spine was not incurred in or aggravated by service, may not be presumed to have been incurred in service, and was not proximately due to or the result of a service-connected disability.

The Board has granted service connection for arthritis of the cervical spine, but denied service connection for a chronic lumbosacral spine disability. The veteran is also awarded an initial 10% rating for his hemorrhoids.

The veteran's service-connected conditions have rendered him in need of regular aid and attendance, which has been granted.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including addressing secondary service connection claims and adjudicating a claim of CUE in an August 1983 rating decision.

The veteran's osteoarthritis of the cervical spine from C4 to C7 is found to be related to his military service, and he is granted service connection for this condition.

The veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and thus the case is dismissed.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for numbness of both feet and cervical cervicalgia with left-sided C7-8 radiculopathy, as they are not related to his military service.