Neck / cervical spine Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for a cervical spine disorder and a headache disorder, finding that both conditions are related to the Veteran's in-service injuries.

The Veteran's left lower extremity radiculopathy was granted service connection with an effective date of July 7, 2011.,An earlier effective date for the cervical spine scar is denied as it arose on January 28, 2013.

The Veteran's costochondritis, cervical strain, right knee strain, and right wrist chronic sprain have been evaluated at the current levels. The Veteran is seeking higher ratings for these conditions.,The Board has remanded the claims of entitlement to service connection for left ankle lateral collateral ligament sprain.

The Board has found that there was a duty to assist error and remanded the claims for service connection of cervical spine, right knee, and left knee disabilities due to their relationship with service-connected lumbosacral strain.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various foot, shin, cervical spine, ankle, elbow, hip, and extremity conditions have been denied. The Board found no evidence of current disabilities or a causal relationship to service.

The Board has denied service connection for hypertension and left ankle sprain. The claims of service connection for neck disability, TMJ dysfunction, and ear disability are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran is seeking an earlier effective date for TDIU, which the Board has decided to remand due to insufficient evidence of unemployability by reason of service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has not been received to warrant readjudication of the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The claims of service connection for degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine, spinal cord tumors, anxiety, and otogenic vertigo are remanded due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.

The Board has decided that service connection for plantar fasciitis is denied. The remaining claims of service connection for allergic rhinitis, sinusitis, bronchitis with chronic cough, anxiety, depression, insomnia, headaches, acid reflux with nausea, benign prostatic hyperplasia with voiding dysfunction, kidney stones, cervicalgia, lumbago, sciatica, bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, bilateral elbow epicondylitis, a left knee condition, and right knee strain are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied as his current hearing loss does not meet the criteria for a compensable disability rating.,The Board found insufficient evidence to grant service connection for various conditions, including acid reflux and sleep apnea, due to inadequate VA examinations.

The Board has determined that there was a pre-decisional duty to assist error and remands the case for further development.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as major depression and anxiety disorder, was found to be causally linked to his service-connected traumatic brain injury. His tinnitus was also granted based on credible reports of in-service noise exposure.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's cervical spine disorder, which is claimed as an upper back condition. The Veteran had in-service treatment for neck pain but no chronicity of care was noted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine is not related to his service, and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have been found to preclude him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation since March 3, 2006. The Board has granted entitlement to TDIU effective that date.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for lumbosacral strain with spondylosis, arthritis, and disc degeneration and cervical spine spondylosis with moderate disc degeneration due to inadequate VA examination findings.

The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date of the 20 percent evaluation for right shoulder labrum tear with residuals is dismissed as the Veteran has already been awarded this effective date.,The Veteran's appeal for a higher initial rating for cervical strain is denied. The Veteran's cervical strain disability was rated at 10% from September 28, 2012, to June 30, 2020, and then granted a 30% rating from June 30, 2020, to September 10, 2021.

The Veteran withdrew all pending appeals, including those for higher ratings and service connection.

The Veteran's appeal for a compensable rating for hepatitis C prior to October 20, 2017, and in excess of 10 percent thereafter has been dismissed. The case is remanded for further development regarding the TDIU claim.

The Board has granted service connection for a cervical spine disability, but remanded the claim of service connection for sleep apnea due to inadequate examination and opinion.