Neck / cervical spine Board decisions

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for cervical spine, bilateral shoulder, bilateral knee, and bilateral hip conditions due to inadequate VA examinations.

The Veteran's son A. was recognized as a helpless child for VA purposes, and the effective date of February 5, 2013, is granted for additional dependency benefits based on this recognition.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals regarding service connection for lumbar disc disease and neck disability due to a withdrawal request from the Veteran.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for cervical spine and right shoulder disorders, both claimed as secondary to service-connected plantar fasciitis. The VA is instructed to obtain addendum opinions addressing whether each condition would have been less severe but for the service-connected plantar fasciitis.

The Veteran's erectile dysfunction is granted as secondary to his service-connected adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood. The claim for left ear hearing loss is denied, and the claim for a cervical spine disability is remanded.

The appeal for service connection for a cervical spine disability, to include cervicalgia, was withdrawn by the Veteran and is therefore dismissed.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to the need for VA examinations to determine if his claimed disabilities are related to his active duty service in the Southwest Asia theater of operations or to his participation in a TERA.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cervical strain did not begin during service and is not otherwise related to her active duty. The evidence does not support a finding of continuity of symptomatology or a nexus between the current disability and service.

The Board has denied service connection for athletes' foot due to the lack of a current diagnosis during the appeal period.,The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for neck disability, lower back disability (secondary to left knee disability), and acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and anxiety) as there are pre-decisional duty to assist errors requiring further development.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability, including cervical strain with degenerative arthritis and invertebral disc syndrome, is denied as not shown to be causally or etiologically related to any disease, injury, or incident during service.

The Board dismissed the appeals for service connection of various disabilities due to improper procedural steps.

The Veteran's bilateral hand, cervical spine, and bilateral knee disabilities are granted as service-connected.,The Veteran's left lower extremity radiculopathy is also granted as secondary to his service-connected lumbar disability.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection for cervical disc disease, left shoulder disability, right shoulder disability, and right knee disability are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and opinions.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including skin, GERD, left shoulder, rhinitis, sinusitis, bilateral plantar fasciitis, IBS, and sleep apnea. The right shoulder, cervical spine, right knee, left knee, and erectile dysfunction claims are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's migraine headaches were granted a 50% rating prior to October 16, 2020 and denied any higher rating from that date. The cervical strain was granted an initial 20% rating prior to October 16, 2020 and denied any higher rating.

The Board has determined that the VA did not provide proper development for the Veteran's claim of service connection for back pain, including lumbar and cervical spine pain. The case is being remanded to correct this error.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted service connection. The Board finds it was a pre-decisional duty to assist error not to clearly identify the Veteran's periods of ACDUTRA and INACDUTRA, and remands for further action on dizziness (vertigo), gastrointestinal disorder, sleep apnea, back disorder, right shoulder disorder, right-hand disorder, left-hand disorder, headaches, and neck disorder.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including CFS, hypertension, GERD, hip arthritis, shoulder and knee conditions, ankle conditions, cervical spine and low back conditions, bilateral pes planus, and bilateral plantar fasciitis, have been denied. The Board found no evidence of current disabilities or a nexus to active duty service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to errors in the pre-decisional duty to assist. The upper back condition claim is being remanded because of an inadequate opinion regarding the etiology, and a lack of VA medical records from or around 2000. The lower back disability claim is also being remanded as there was no direct service connection opinion obtained.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for cervical spine and lumbar spine DDD are being remanded due to procedural errors in the initial rating decisions. The Board will consider the evidence of record at the time of these decisions on a de novo basis.