Neck / cervical spine Board decisions

The Board has found a clear and unmistakable error in the AOJ's finding of a nexus between the Veteran's cervical spine disability and service. The AOJ did not consider the full report of the September 2021 cervical MRI, which is relevant to this claim. Therefore, the case must be remanded for the VA to obtain and associate the complete cervical MRI report with the claims file.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for toenail fungus was denied. The Board found no evidence of toenail fungus during service and insufficient medical evidence to establish a relationship between the condition and service.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development due to errors in notice and duty to assist.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's recurrent left wrist sprain residuals are service-connected. The remaining issues of service connection for various other disabilities have been remanded due to procedural errors.

The Board has denied service connection for cervical strain, lumbosacral strain, and bilateral shoulder rotator cuff tendonitis as there is no persuasive evidence of their onset during active service or a relationship to an in-service injury.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for an employment handicap, as he has overcome any impairments to employability through his education, work history, and transferrable skills. Therefore, VR&E benefits are denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for cervical spine disability with arthritis, lumbar spine disability with arthritis, radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, radiculopathy of the right upper extremity, radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, and radiculopathy of the left upper extremity due to inadequate opinions in the May 2023 VA examination.

The Board has remanded the claim for a lumbosacral or cervical strain disorder due to insufficient evidence and the need for an examination.

Your appeals for service connection have been dismissed as the Veteran has withdrawn his appeal.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for cervical spine strain is being remanded due to the need for additional medical evidence and an adequate nexus opinion.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not preclude him from securing and following substantially gainful employment before January 6, 2017.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for special monthly compensation (SMC) based on aid and attendance or housebound status, as he does not require personal assistance from others and is not substantially confined to his dwelling.

The Veteran's claim for arthritis of the joints, including as a qualifying chronic disability under 38 C.F.R. § 3.317, was denied. The appeal is also remanded for further development.

The Veteran's cervical spine disorder and right hand 5th metacarpal strain were denied service connection.,A compensable evaluation for the right hand 5th metacarpal strain was also denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings for various conditions have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for bilateral hearing loss, and there was no service connection established for most of the claimed conditions.

The Veteran's appeal for increased evaluations of his headache disorder and cervical strain is remanded due to the need for clarification on functional loss during flareups and repetitive use.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including degenerative joint disease of the cervical spine, right upper extremity radiculopathy, degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine, and right lower extremity radiculopathy, have resulted in a combined rating of 60 percent as of March 15, 2019. The Board has granted an earlier effective date for TDIU to this point.

The Board denied service connection for a cervical spine disability and Gulf War medically unexplained chronic multi-symptom illness. The Veteran's cervical spine disability was not related to his in-service period, and the claim of Gulf War exposure was not granted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and a duty to assist error. The issues include right shoulder, left shoulder, bilateral foot, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), cervical strain with degenerative arthritis, and lumbosacral strain.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating as defined by VA regulations.,The Veteran's rhinitis is rated at the maximum allowed and no additional manifestations are present, thus no higher rating can be granted.,The Veteran's arthritis of the right fifth digit has no manifestations not contemplated by the rating criteria.,Service connection for erectile dysfunction, residuals of a head injury, GERD, and cervical spine disability is remanded due to insufficient evidence in the record.,No new or material evidence was presented to reopen service connection claims for these conditions.,The Veteran's GERD is not related to his service, including head injuries sustained during service.,Service connection for a cervical spine disability is also remanded as there are no discussions of lifting and injuries related to the Veteran's duties in service.