Neck / cervical spine Board decisions

The Board has granted the reopening of the claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II disorder and cervical spine disorder, but denied a rating in excess of 20 percent for service-connected lumbar spine disability.,The appeal as to the claim of entitlement to service connection for diabetes mellitus type II disorder is remanded due to new evidence indicating its onset during active service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequate medical opinions and because of a need for an opinion regarding the impact of toxic exposure risk activities (TERA).

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection for bilateral eye disability, back disability, and cervical spine disability due to inadequate VA opinions in previous decisions. The claims will be reviewed again with new addendum opinions addressing causation and aggravation.

The Veteran's claims for effective dates prior to October 22, 2017 for the grants of service connection for PTSD, tinea versicolor, and IBS are denied.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is granted.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for impaired vision (refractive error), neck disability, low back disability, right knee disability, and left knee disability are all denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus and a neck disorder are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for tinnitus and degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine have been granted. The remaining issues, including right knee disability, left foot disability, and tingling skin of the left knee and leg, are being remanded for further evaluation.,New evidence has reopened the Veteran's claims for tinnitus and degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine, leading to their grant. However, additional evaluations are needed to determine service connection for other conditions.

The Veteran's request to reopen service connection for back problems was denied as the new evidence did not relate to the basis of the prior denial.,Service connection for a neck disability was also denied because the new evidence did not relate to the basis of the prior denial.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar and cervical spine disabilities, as well as right upper extremity radiculopathy. The reasons include inadequate examinations that did not consider flare-ups or intervertebral disc syndrome prior to December 13, 2021, and a need for another VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected lumbar and cervical spine disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of cervical spine, left hip, and right big toe disabilities secondary to his service-connected left heel callous.,The VA medical opinions found no relationship between these conditions and his service-connected disability.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including bilateral tinea pedis, cervical spine condition, hypertension, headaches, hemorrhoids, OSA, sciatica of the right and left lower extremities. The Veteran's claims were remanded but not fully resolved.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for neck disability, lung disability, and left knee disability due to insufficient evidence. The claim for PTSD remains pending.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's substantive appeal was timely filed, and his claims for service connection for left wrist, right shoulder, and left shoulder disabilities as secondary to a neck disability are denied.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for thoracic and cervical spine disabilities, finding no current disability or evidence of in-service injury that would support a grant of service connection.

The Board has determined that there has not been substantial compliance with the previous remand directives regarding the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar spine and cervical spine disorders. As a result, another remand is required.

The appeal of the compensable rating for bilateral shin splints and earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for bilateral shin splints is dismissed.,The claim to reopen service connection for cervical spine disability is granted, but a higher rating remains denied.,The Veteran's urinary incontinence prior to September 6, 2018, does not warrant a compensable rating. From September 6, 2018, the current 40 percent rating is appropriate.,Restoration of a 40 percent rating for lumbar spine disability from July 31, 2014, to present is granted.,The Veteran's lumbar spine disability does not meet criteria for higher than 40 percent ratings at any point during the appeal period.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability, right shoulder disability, and left knee disability claims are remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating for compensation based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU) prior to April 11, 2014. The case is referred to the Director of Compensation Service for extraschedular consideration.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to conflicting opinions regarding whether his PTSD caused or aggravated his tobacco use and obesity, which in turn may have contributed to his claimed disabilities. The case is being returned for further development.

The Board has found that the Veteran's scoliosis of the thoracolumbar spine with strain does not warrant a rating in excess of 10 percent. The cervical spine disability, degenerative disc disease, and radiculopathy issues are remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, but the issues of entitlement to service connection remain remanded due to insufficient evidence.