Neck / cervical spine Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for service connection for chronic headaches and a cervical spine disability are both granted.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for erythema nodosum has been dismissed due to the appellant's request for withdrawal.,The Board is remanding several issues including tinnitus, acid reflux disease, astigmatism, presbyopia, myopia, cervical dysplasia, uterine fibroids, left knee Baker's cyst, demyelinating disease, bilateral foot neuropathy, and bilateral lower extremity sciatic nerve disability for further development.

The Veteran's left ankle injury, including Achilles tendonitis and osteoarthritis, is granted service connection. The Veteran's bilateral foot conditions are remanded for further examination and opinion. His hearing loss is remanded for a new VA examination to determine the current degree of impairment. Service connection for bronchitis is also remanded.

Service connection for residuals of a right donor nephrectomy, including a scar, and cervical spine degenerative joint disease (DJD) have been granted.,Service connection for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome has been denied.

The Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for hepatitis C resulting from a VA surgical procedure on September 5, 2006 is denied.,The Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for a cervical disability resulting from a VA surgical procedure on September 5, 2006 is remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions and development of records.,The Veteran's service connection claim for hepatitis C is remanded due to the need for an addendum opinion regarding its etiology.

The Board denied service connection for abdominal/cervical pain as there is no current disability and the Veteran's symptoms are not supported by objective evidence.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted, and the issues of entitlement to increased ratings for his lumbar spine disability, left knee disability, and left knee scar are remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings of his cervical spine disability and bilateral upper extremity radiculopathy due to incomplete information in the medical opinions provided.

The Board has restored the Veteran's 20% rating for cervical degenerative arthritis/spondylosis and granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to his service-connected major depressive disorder with traumatic brain disorder. The reduction in rating was improper due to inadequate procedural notice.

The Veteran's cervical spine strain with degenerative changes and radiculopathy is granted a 20% rating prior to December 3, 2019. Since then, the claim for a higher rating remains denied. The lumbar spine strain with degenerative changes is also granted a 20% rating since December 3, 2019. Additionally, entitlement to TDIU based on service-connected disabilities is granted.

The Veteran's service connection claims for fatigue disorder and cervical spine disorder have been denied. The Board found no evidence of a separate and distinct disability for fatigue disorder, and the cervical spine condition is not related to service.,For TDIU, the Veteran has multiple service-connected disabilities that prevent him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the claims for cervical spine disability, right upper extremity radiculopathy, and migraine headaches secondary to service-connected lumbar spine disability.

The Board has remanded the claims for cervical spine injury residuals, lumbar spine disability, right lower extremity varicose veins, left lower extremity varicose veins, bronchitis, and bilateral hearing loss due to incomplete service treatment records from the Veteran's National Guard and Reserve periods of service. The claims will be readjudicated after these records are obtained.

The Veteran's cervical spine DDD and osteoarthritis are granted as service-connected.,The Veteran's lumbar spine DDD and osteoarthritis are also granted as service-connected.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for cervical spine, right ankle, eye, and respiratory conditions due to insufficient medical opinions.,Flu residuals are also being remanded as there is uncertainty about whether they are separate from service-connected TBI residuals.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for arthritis of the cervical spine was denied in 1996, and new evidence did not reopen this claim. The Board also remanded the issue of service connection for left leg stent placement due to insufficient medical opinion.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development and examination due to lack of compliance with previous directives.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for cervical spine disability, left ankle disability (to include as secondary to service-connected disabilities), sinusitis, and chronic fatigue syndrome due to insufficient compliance with previous remand directives.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a cervical spine disability and congenital Thornwaldt cyst, finding no causal relationship between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's claims, including service connection for traumatic brain injury, heart disability (secondary to protein C blood disorder), neck disability, psychiatric disability, and sleep apnea. The appeals are pending further medical evaluation and opinion.