Neck / cervical spine Board decisions

The veteran's combined service-connected disability rating is 80 percent, with at least 40 percent of the disabilities pertaining to orthopedic issues. Medical opinions indicate he is unemployable due to his service-connected conditions.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right ankle disability is more likely than not related to his military service, thus granting service connection for a right ankle disability.

The Board dismissed the appeal due to the appellant's withdrawal of the appeal prior to a decision being made.

The Board has granted increased evaluations for the veteran's right shoulder, left shoulder, and cervical spine conditions to 20 percent each, effective from March 1997.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for residuals of a back injury. The Board also found that the veteran's current DJD of the lumbar and cervical spine is related to his military service.

The veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development and consideration of his claims, including the provision of proper notice and assistance.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his service-connected cervical spine, thoracolumbar spine, and bilateral shoulder disabilities were denied by the RO. The case is remanded to obtain updated medical records and conduct further examinations.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and found that the veteran's current hearing loss is related to noise exposure during his military service. The other claims are pending further development.

The Board denied service connection for aggressiveness and violent tendencies as secondary to a cervical spine disorder, and denied an increased evaluation for hepatitis B.

The Board found that the veteran's cervical spine arthritis warranted a 20 percent evaluation, but not an evaluation in excess of this. The December 1992 rating decision granting service connection for head and neck injury with post-concussion headaches and blurred vision is final as the veteran did not file a timely notice of disagreement.

The Board found that the veteran's cervical spine disability was aggravated during his period of active duty for training (ACDUTRA) in April 1994.

The Board found that the veteran's cervical spine disability, including arthritis, had its onset many years post-service and was unrelated to either an inservice helicopter accident or the service-connected compression fracture of the dorsal spine.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his cervical spine, low back, and left elbow disabilities due to the lack of evidence showing more than slight limitation of motion or other disabling symptoms.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current cervical and lumbosacral spine disorders are related to his service, including a 1991 injury during service. Service connection for these conditions is granted.

The Board is reopening the claims for service connection for residuals of a head injury, including a visual disability, and for a disability of the left ulnar nerve, including post-traumatic numbness of the 4th and 5th digits. Additional development is needed to properly adjudicate these issues.

The Board has determined that the veteran's residuals of cartilaginous injury of the thorax, thoracic spine injury, cervical spine injury with degenerative joint disease and degenerative changes, post-concussion syndrome including chronic headaches are related to service. Therefore, these conditions have been granted service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for cervical spondylosis, finding that the veteran's arthritis in the cervical spine was present within one year of his separation from active duty.

The Board denied service connection for post traumatic stress disorder and a cervical spine disorder. The veteran's lumbar myositis, degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine was initially granted with a 10 percent evaluation from December 16, 1997 to June 13, 2002, which was later increased to 40 percent effective June 14, 2002. The veteran's left ear hearing loss and tinnitus were each assigned initial compensable evaluations, while his scars of the posterior aspect of the left elbow and right upper back and osteoarthritis of the left wrist, history of left wrist fracture received initial non-compensable evaluations.

The Board has granted service connection for Bowen's disease (gynecologic cancer), cervical spine disability, and right hip disability. The diagnoses are considered to be related to in-service trauma.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings and extraschedular evaluations were denied. The case is being remanded to the RO for further development, including scheduling a VA Social and Industrial Survey.