Neck / cervical spine Board decisions

The veteran's appeal for service connection for cervical canal stenosis, status post laminectomy at C5-C6 was dismissed due to the appellant withdrawing his appeal. The issues of entitlement to a rating in excess of 30 percent for the residuals of a left knee injury and entitlement to a rating in excess of 10 percent for traumatic arthritis of the left knee are being remanded.

The veteran's claimed conditions were not incurred or aggravated by his active service, including exposure to ionizing radiation.

The Board found that the February 1994 rating decision denying service connection for a cervical spine disability was not based on CUE. The claim for an earlier effective date of service connection for degenerative interspace disease of the cervical spine with bulging discs at C5, C6 and C7 is denied.

The RO has granted increased ratings for the veteran's cervical and lumbar spine disabilities to 10 percent, effective from July 1, 1994. The left knee disability remains at a 20 percent rating.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient information regarding the etiology of the veteran's cervical spine disability. The RO is instructed to obtain additional medical records and provide the veteran with another opportunity to submit evidence.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a cervical spine disorder, finding that it is not secondary to his service-connected lumbar spine and left foot/ankle injuries.

The Board has ordered a VA examination to determine if the veteran's current cervical and lumbar spine problems are related to his military service, specifically parachute jump activities. The appeal is currently in remand status due to the need for additional development.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to incomplete medical records and further examination.

The veteran's cervical spine disability, loss of bladder control secondary to service-connected chronic low back strain, and loss of use of the lower extremities secondary to service-connected chronic low back strain are not related to his military service. However, his lumbar discogenic disease is presumed to have resulted from an in-service injury. The veteran currently suffers from severe low back pain that radiates into both legs, resulting in a 60 percent rating for chronic low back strain with lumbar discogenic disease.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that the current ratings for lumbosacral strain and cervical strain did not meet the criteria for higher evaluations, and there was no evidence linking his shoulder, hip, or fibromyalgia to service.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA outpatient records and a new VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected right shoulder and cervical spine disabilities.

The veteran's service-connected conditions do not meet the criteria for financial assistance in the purchase of an automobile and adaptive equipment or adaptive equipment only, as he does not have loss or permanent loss of use of one or both feet.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims due to incomplete development and need for additional examinations.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and consideration, including obtaining updated VA treatment records, scheduling an examination, adjudicating increased disability ratings claims, and readjudicating the TDIU claim.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims of service connection for alcoholism, increased rating for bilateral hearing loss, and service connection for muscle contraction headaches, lumbosacral strain (low back pain), a cervical spine disability, and a bilateral shoulder disability have been denied due to lack of legal merit.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim of service connection for a left shoulder condition. The initial rating assigned for the service-connected urethral stricture is increased to 40 percent.

The Board has determined that the veteran's tendonitis of the elbows, bilateral Achilles tendonitis, and degenerative arthritis of the shoulders, cervical spine, and lumbar spine are all service-connected.

The Board has granted secondary service connection for gout and degenerative joint disease of the cervical spine, left shoulder, both wrists, and both ankles as they are aggravated by a service-connected kidney disease.

The veteran's cervical spine disorder, including secondary spinal stenosis with limitation of motion, is currently rated at 30 percent effective February 9, 2000.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current cervical spine disorder is not related to his military service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.