Neck / cervical spine Board decisions

The Board is unable to determine the outcome of some claims due to insufficient evidence, but has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted for others. The veteran's service connection claims are pending.

The Board denied all claims for increased ratings, finding that the veteran's conditions did not meet the criteria for higher evaluations under VA rating criteria.

The Board denied service connection for cervical spine arthritis, lumbar spine spondylosis, and thoracic spine scoliosis, as well as evaluations in excess of 10 percent for residuals of cold exposure of the right and left feet. The veteran's conditions were not shown to be related to active service or service-connected disabilities.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations for various service-connected disabilities are being remanded to the RO for additional development.

The Board has granted a 30 percent evaluation for the service-connected bilateral flat foot condition, effective from August 23, 2001. The veteran's claims for increased evaluations of degenerative joint disease of the cervical spine and traumatic arthritis of the lumbar spine are addressed in the REMAND portion of this decision.

The Board has determined that the veteran's cervical spine disability is of service origin and grants service connection for this condition.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for further evaluation and consideration of his claims, including a new examination to assess the severity of his service-connected lumbar spine disability.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have cervical spine or lumbar spine disabilities related to his active service and thus denied both claims.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining records of a vehicle accident and physical examinations from General Dynamics Electrical. The veteran will be scheduled for a VA examination to determine if his current cervical spine disorder and headaches are related to his active military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left knee, right ankle, and cervical spine disabilities. The claim of service connection for a right wrist injury was also denied.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and consideration of the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected facial scars and cervical spine disc narrowing.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims of service connection for chronic low back and cervical spine disabilities, finding that there is no medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for cervical spine arthritis, finding that there is no evidence to support a link between his current condition and his military service.

The veteran's claims for higher rating and service connection are being remanded due to the submission of new VA treatment records. The case will be returned to the RO for initial consideration.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a cervical spine disorder, finding that there is no evidence of an in-service injury to the cervical spine and that any current disability is not related to his service-connected lumbar spine disability.

The Board granted the veteran's claims for higher ratings for his service-connected degenerative arthritis of L4-5 and denied secondary service connection for dorsal spine and cervical spine disorders.

The Board found no evidence of a cervical spine disability related to the veteran's military service and denied his claim. The major depressive disorder was also not linked to service, with the examiner indicating it may be due to other life stressors.

The veteran's claim for higher evaluations for his cervical spine disability was denied. For the period prior to March 22, 2004, he was not entitled to an evaluation in excess of 20 percent. For the period commencing March 22, 2004, he was also not entitled to a rating higher than 20 percent.

The veteran's service-connected cervical spine disability is rated at 20 percent, which approximates the severity of his condition.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including VA examinations and the provision of additional medical records.