Neck / cervical spine Board decisions

The Board found that the veteran's neck disability is not related to his military service and denied his claim.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the veteran's claims for service connection of degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine and back pathology with arthritis of the lumbar spine. The case is remanded for further development.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development of medical evidence, including VA spine and knee examinations.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, depression with memory loss, chronic diarrhea, cervical spine disability, and skin rash as they did not meet the criteria for a diagnosis of PTSD or were not linked to his in-service stressors. The diagnoses offered have been depression.

The veteran claims service connection for a cervical spine disability, but the appeal is remanded due to incomplete records and verification of his reserve service.

The veteran's claims of increased ratings and service connection for his shoulder, foot, back, and neck conditions are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right ear hearing loss was aggravated by his military noise exposure, warranting service connection. The cervical spine disability is found to be at least as likely as not related to in-service neck pain.

The veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of his service-connected residuals of a fracture of the cervical spine at C-2 is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA medical records and scheduling the veteran for a VA examination.

The Board found that the veteran's cervical spine and low back disorders are not due to injury or disease incurred in service, nor can arthritis be presumed to have been incurred in service.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his claims, including obtaining medical records and ensuring compliance with notification requirements.

The veteran's claim for service connection for cellulitis of the left leg and heel was denied as there is no evidence of current disability or a nexus to service. The claim for service connection for a chronic disability of the neck or cervical spine remains pending.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been presented to reopen the claim of service connection for hearing loss. The veteran's claims for tinnitus, cervical spine disorder, and respiratory disorders are remanded for further development.

The Board has determined that the veteran's cervical spine disability, manifested by severe intervertebral disc syndrome, warrants a 40 percent rating.

The veteran's lipoma from the cervical spine area was not incurred in or aggravated by service. The initial evaluations for chronic sinusitis are denied as they do not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD, but the attorney's fee agreement related to this issue is being reviewed due to jurisdictional issues.

The veteran's claims for higher ratings and service connection were denied as the evidence did not support a finding of additional disability due to his service-connected low back disorder.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings of his service-connected cervical and lumbar spine disabilities are being remanded to the RO for further development, including consideration under the revised rating criteria effective September 26, 2003.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of disabilities of the lumbar spine and cervical spine, finding that no legal basis existed to assign such a date.

The Board found that the veteran's current back disability is not related to his active duty service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board found that the veteran's service-connected conditions did not cause his death from pneumonia, which occurred many years after separation from service.