Neck / cervical spine Board decisions

The Board has determined that the veteran's arthritis of the cervical spine was not incurred or aggravated by active service and denied his claim.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities were not continuously rated totally disabling for the required period, and he was not a former prisoner of war. Therefore, DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318 are denied.

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

The Board has remanded the case for additional development to obtain service medical records and VA treatment records, as well as to ensure compliance with the Veterans Claims Assistance Act of 2000 (VCAA).

The Board has granted service connection for low back and neck disabilities, as well as dental trigeminal neuralgia. The initial evaluation of sinusitis is also granted at a 30 percent rating.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and examination, including a VA examination to determine if the veteran's current left shoulder disability is related to service. The issues of entitlement to service connection for ear, sinus, low back, neck, and depressive disorders are also being remanded.

The Board denied an increased evaluation for the veteran's T12, L1, and L2 compression fracture residuals with traumatic arthritis and L5-S1 tenderness. The veteran's chronic cervical spine disability was granted service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a jaw condition and cervical spine disorder, finding that there was no clear and convincing evidence to support these claims.

The veteran's degenerative disc disease and arthritis of the cervical spine were not incurred in or aggravated by service, and may not be presumed to have been incurred during service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed cervical and thoracic spine disorders are not shown to have been present in service or for many years thereafter, and thus cannot be granted service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for arthritis of the cervical spine, disability of the knees, left elbow, and feet, a psychiatric disability including anxiety disorder and depression, and vertigo. The appeals were all denied as new and material evidence was not received to reopen any of these previously denied claims.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a cervical spine injury, left ankle injury, and chronic fatigue syndrome due to new and material evidence.

The Board has determined that the veteran's cervical spine disability is proximately due to or the result of his service-connected thoracic-lumbar spine disability, and thus grants service connection for this condition. The evaluation for the veteran's thoracic-lumbar spine disability remains at 50 percent.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for arthritis affecting his cervical and lumbosacral spines, knees, and ankles as secondary to his service-connected burn scars. The veteran was also denied increased ratings for his third degree burn scars of the posterior left lower extremity, right lower extremity, and chest/back area.

The Board determined that the appellant is not entitled to an effective date prior to June 16, 1998 for the assignment of a 60% rating for service-connected cervical spine disorder.

The veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The appeals are all based on reopening of previously denied claims, and the issues involve new evidence.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection due to new evidence, but has denied the claim on the merits as there is no causal link between his current neck and shoulder disabilities and his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an effective date prior to June 10, 2003 for a total rating for compensation purposes based upon individual unemployability due to her service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for left knee disorder, right knee disorder, and cervical spine disorder. The disorders were not found to be related to the veteran's military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for higher ratings for his right knee pain and degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine, finding that the preponderance of the evidence did not support a higher rating under the applicable criteria.