Neck / cervical spine Board decisions

The veteran's claim for service connection for gout was not addressed. The RO denied the claim for hypertension in February 1996 and the veteran did not appeal this decision. Service connection for degenerative joint disease of the left knee was granted with a 10 percent rating effective June 26, 1984. The issue of service connection for degenerative joint disease of the right knee remains pending.

The Board denied service connection for a cervical spine disability and denied entitlement to an evaluation in excess of 40 percent for residuals of a right total knee arthroplasty. The issue of entitlement to a total rating based on individual unemployability was also addressed.

The veteran's headaches are currently rated as 10%, and his cervical spine disability is rated at 10%. The lumbosacral strain with diffuse degenerative changes has been increased to 40% since May 4, 1998. However, the headaches have not met criteria for a higher rating prior to September 23, 2000.

The Board found that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen the claims of service connection for bipolar disorder and chronic cervical spine disability, resulting in a denial.

The Board has determined that the veteran's myofascial and low back pain, currently rated at 20 percent disabling, warrants a higher evaluation of 40 percent due to severe limitation of motion. The cervical strain is also rated at 20 percent.

The Board denied increased evaluations for the veteran's service-connected cervical spine, left shoulder, and right wrist disabilities. The RO had previously granted these conditions with specific disability ratings.

The Board has determined that the veteran's lumbar disc disease is service-connected and has granted a 60% evaluation for her cervical spine disability.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss was granted, with a 10 percent evaluation effective September 5, 2000. The claims for low back pain and shoulder and neck disability as secondary to service-connected left arm wound were denied. Service connection for the neck disability was not addressed due to lack of evidence. PTSD claim is pending.

The VA denied the veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of a cervical spine injury and excision of a soft tissue mass of the occipital region, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to her active military service.

The veteran's bilateral hearing loss and cervical spine arthritis are service-connected, with a rating of 10 percent for the right fifth metatarsal fracture. The scars of the scalp and face do not meet criteria for compensation.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a cervical spine disorder and has determined that there is at least an approximate balance of positive and negative evidence regarding whether his inservice injury may have caused his current condition. As such, all reasonable doubt is resolved in favor of the veteran and service connection is granted.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD, cervical disc disease (claimed as neck condition), right arm disability, and right hand disability. Service connection was not granted for impotence due to lack of evidence linking the disabilities to service.

The Board has granted service connection for cervical spondylosis and C5-C6 cervical disc disease, post-traumatic, as secondary to the service-connected disability of scar, residuals of gunshot wound (GSW) to the forehead.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of a right ankle injury, defective vision, dermatitis, and arthritis of the cervical spine and shoulders. The RO found that the veteran's defective vision was not related to his active service due to it being a congenital or developmental abnormality.

The Board has granted service connection for arthritis of the cervical and lumbar spine, and an increased rating to 30 percent for PTSD. The veteran's current disabilities are found to be related to his active military service.

The veteran's limited occupational and educational backgrounds, combined with his psychiatric impairment, render him permanently and totally unemployable. The Board has determined that a permanent and total disability rating for pension purposes is warranted.

The Board found that the veteran's cervical myositis with right thoracic outlet syndrome did not meet or approximate the criteria for a disability evaluation in excess of 20 percent.

The Board determined that the veteran's spinal stenosis and degenerative disc disease of both lumbar and cervical spine were not incurred in or aggravated by service.

The veteran's cervical spine and left shoulder disabilities have been granted service connection, with increased ratings of 10 percent for the cervical spine disability and 20 percent for the left shoulder disability effective from September 1, 1998. The veteran continues to seek higher evaluations.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection on multiple issues, finding that new and material evidence was not presented to reopen any of these claims.