Neck / cervical spine Board decisions

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequacies in the VA examinations and lack of consideration of certain evidence. The issues include lumbar spine, cervical spine, left leg, right leg, RLE radiculopathy, and bilateral foot disorders.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to a duty to assist error, and will need an addendum opinion from the VA examiner.

The Board has remanded the claims for diabetes mellitus, type II and bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome due to potential toxic exposure in service. The IBS with GERD claim is denied as it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations in various service-connected conditions are being remanded due to a pre-decisional error where the VA failed to provide her with scheduled VA examinations. The Veteran is required to be provided additional opportunities for these exams.

The Board remands the claim for a new VA examination to determine the nature and severity of the service-connected fractured C3, cervical strain, anterolisthesis C4 upon C5 (claimed as fractured neck).

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's cervical spine condition, left heel condition, left knee strain, left shoulder condition, lumbar spine condition, and left foot condition, all of which are found to be related to his active service.

The Veteran's degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine did not meet the criteria for a higher disability rating, as his forward flexion was less than 15 degrees and he had other limitations that prevented him from meeting the requirements for a higher rating.

The Veteran's initial rating for low back disability and cervical spine disability was denied. The low back disability did not meet the criteria for a higher than 40 percent rating, while the cervical spine disability prior to October 15, 2019, did not meet the criteria for a higher than 10 percent rating.

The Veteran's cervical spondylosis and migraines are granted service connection as they are at least as likely as not related to her in-service car accidents.

The Board denied service connection for lumbosacral strain, right shoulder strain, and cervical strain as the evidence did not establish a causal link between the in-service injuries and current disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for alcohol use disorder and an anxiety disorder, granted service connection for a deviated septum, and granted ratings of 80 percent but no higher for narcolepsy and 20 percent but no higher for dry eye syndrome with arcus senillis.

The Veteran is granted special monthly compensation based on the need for regular aid and attendance of another person due to service-connected disabilities, but his entitlement to SMC based on housebound status is denied.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for cervical spine stenosis and degenerative arthritis, finding that new evidence supports a link between his military service and these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to errors in obtaining VA treatment records and opinions. The Veteran is entitled to bilateral hearing loss, but not to left ear hearing loss as there is no current diagnosis. Service connection is granted for plantar warts of the feet. The Board finds that additional medical opinions are needed regarding his knee, cervical spine, and lumbar spine disabilities due to a lack of consideration of the Veteran's competent statements about continuity of symptoms.

The Veteran's IBS is currently rated at 10 percent, and a higher rating is denied.,The Veteran's cervical dysplasia does not require continuous treatment and is therefore rated as noncompensable.

The Veteran's service connection claims for left shoulder strain, right shoulder strain, cervical strain with degenerative arthritis and spinal stenosis, and degenerative arthritis and degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine status post discectomy are being remanded due to a duty to assist error.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for the award of service connection for cervical spine disability, radiculopathy in both upper extremities, and residuals of head injury, as well as an earlier effective date for TDIU benefits.

The Board remanded the claims for readjudication and further development, as new and relevant evidence had been submitted since the prior denials.

The Board denied a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and a higher than 10 percent rating for bilateral foot porokeratosis in soles, metatarsalgia both feet. The claims for service connection for various disabilities were remanded.

The Board denied service connection for a neck condition as the evidence did not support that it began during active service or was otherwise related to an in-service injury or disease.