Neck / cervical spine Board decisions

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to outstanding personnel records and potential exposure to contaminated water. Additional medical opinions are needed regarding the etiology of his lumbar spine, cervical spine, gastrointestinal disorders, GERD, kidney cancer residuals, and hand tremors.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for high blood pressure, sleep apnea, cervical spine disability, left lower extremity radiculopathy, right lower extremity radiculopathy, pseudofolliculitis (now claimed as shaving profile), and upper extremity neurological condition. The claims are granted to the extent that they were not previously denied.

The Veteran's irritable bowel syndrome is granted service connection on a presumptive basis. The effective date for the 40% rating assigned for her lumbar spine disability is set at December 1, 2005. Her cervical and lumbar spine disabilities are granted higher initial ratings from the date of the March 2023 VA examination report.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for traumatic brain injury, and initial ratings in excess of 10 percent for lumbar strain and degenerative disc disease with cervical strain. The evidence did not support current residuals of a TBI other than headaches, nor did it show functional impairment from these conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for low back and neck disabilities due to potential issues with service connection, including a need for further examination and opinion regarding preexisting conditions.

The Veteran's service connection claim for degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine was granted. The Veteran's tinea pedis bilateral feet with onychomycosis and erythema annulare was increased to a 10 percent rating, effective April 7, 2017. The Veteran's hemorrhoids were not increased in rating.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, lumbar spine disability, and cervical spine disability due to insufficient medical opinions addressing the relationship between these disabilities and the Veteran's service-connected physical disabilities.

The Board has found that additional development is needed to obtain updated treatment records, and the appeal for service connection on these issues is being remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including cervical spine degenerative arthritis with spondylosis, left and right lower extremity neuropathy, erectile dysfunction (ED), right hip disability, bilateral onychomycosis, and migraine headaches have all been denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cervical, lumbar, and thoracic spine disabilities may be related to service, but further examination is needed to establish a clear connection.

The Veteran's cervical spine condition was not shown as chronic in service, did not manifest to a compensable degree within one year of discharge, and was not noted in service with attributable continuity of symptomatology. The Board found no evidence linking the current cervical spine disability to his active service or any service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of her lumbar strain, left shoulder adhesive capsulitis, and cervical spine disability have been denied as the evidence does not support a higher rating under the applicable criteria.

The Board denied service connection for various joint disabilities, including cervical spine arthritis, right hand and finger arthritis, left hand and finger arthritis, right hip arthritis, left hip arthritis, right shoulder arthritis, left shoulder arthritis, right wrist arthritis, left wrist arthritis, and right knee degenerative arthritis.,The evidence did not support a finding that any of these conditions were incurred or aggravated by service.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection of a left shoulder disorder was denied.,The appeals for initial evaluations in excess of 10 percent for cervical spine disability, right knee strain, and left knee strain were also denied.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as service-connected.,The Veteran's cervical spine disability and TBI are remanded for further examination.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for left hip, bilateral knee, left foot, and neck disabilities as they are not shown to be causally or etiologically related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for cervical strain with DDD, right upper extremity radiculopathy, and left upper extremity radiculopathy were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for any of these conditions.

The Board has dismissed the claims of service connection for a right foot and psychiatric disabilities due to their grant in prior rating decisions. The remaining issues - neck, right upper extremity radiculopathy, headache, and right knee disabilities - are remanded for further development.

The Board denied service connection for a cervical spine disorder and a right shoulder disorder, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his service-connected RSD and CRPS affecting his right wrist.,The Board concluded that the Veteran would have developed his cervical spine disorder and right shoulder disorder regardless of his service-connected RSD and CRPS.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to issues related to his cervical spine disability and PTSD. The Board will seek additional medical opinions to address the proximate cause of these conditions, as well as their aggravation by other service-connected disabilities.