Neck / cervical spine Board decisions

The veteran's claims for service connection and increased evaluations for his bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including VA examinations.

The Board has granted the veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings for his right and left trapezius and scapular muscles with chronic rotator cuff impingement and tendonitis, effective June 1, 1995. The effective dates for these determinations are April 5, 1993.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations were denied across multiple issues, including cervical spine, left knee, right radius fracture, jaw injury with TMJ syndrome, and hip fractures. The RO assigned initial non-compensable ratings in June 1991 and revised them to 10 percent effective April 22, 1992.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for various claimed disabilities due to insufficient evidence or further development is needed.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to changes in the law, including compliance with the Veterans Claims Assistance Act of 2000 (VCAA). The veteran's claims are related to service connection and new evidence.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his service-connected degenerative joint and disc disease of the lumbosacral spine and cervical spine are being remanded to allow for further development, including a VA examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to a change in the law brought about by the Veterans Claims Assistance Act of 2000, requiring additional development and readjudication.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right shoulder and cervical spine conditions are service-connected, with the right shoulder condition being secondary to his service-connected right forearm gunshot wound residuals.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a cervical spine injury due to new and material evidence submitted since the October 1994 decision.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and cervical spondylosis with complaints of shoulder pain, as well as his requests for higher initial disability ratings for degenerative changes of the right great toe and residuals of a fracture of the left fifth toe.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for cardiovascular disease (including hypercholesterolemia) and arthritis of the cervical spine. The appeal was remanded to issue a statement of the case regarding his other claims, including increased ratings for hearing loss, ulcer/irritable bowel syndrome, epididymitis, and prostatitis with urethral stricture.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to a change in the law regarding veterans' claims assistance.

The Board finds that the veteran's cervical spondylosis and residuals of a neck injury are related to service, granting service connection.

The Board found that the termination of the veteran's fee-basis outpatient treatment arrangement was proper due to his frequent and numerous visits to VA medical facilities, which demonstrated their geographical accessibility.

The veteran is seeking to reopen his claim for service connection for cervical and shoulder disability. The RO has requested additional information from the U.S. Coast Guard regarding their actions in evaluating the veteran's disabilities.

The Board found that the veteran's claim for a total disability rating based upon individual unemployability was not warranted earlier than March 7, 1995.

The veteran's claims for service connection were denied as the conditions are not shown to be related to military service.

The veteran's tinnitus was granted service connection, but his cervical spine and low back disorders were denied. The right shoulder disorder claim is pending as new evidence has been submitted.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection of cervical spine disability and granted it. The initial rating for low back pain remains unchanged, but the appeal regarding thoracic spine disability is still pending.

The Board found that the veteran's current cervical and lumbar spine disorder is not medically shown to be the result of any incident of his active military service, thus denying his claim for service connection.