Neck / cervical spine Board decisions

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection and TDIU due to insufficient medical opinions regarding causation and aggravation, as well as the impact of medications on employment.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for additional medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's current headache disability is caused or aggravated by his service-connected cervical spine disorder.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a rating in excess of 10 percent for service-connected lumbar strain, service connection for cervical spine disability, and various nerve disabilities. The Veteran will need to undergo new VA examinations to assess his current condition and provide opinions on the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Board dismissed the appeal for service connection of whiplash injuries to the shoulders and granted a TDIU rating from September 9, 2020.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for back, neck, and bilateral lower extremity nerve disabilities have been dismissed as they were granted in a previous rating decision. The claims for service connection for brain tumor, epilepsy, asthma, and sleep apnea have all been denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a cervical spine disability, lumbar spine disability, and hypertension due to inadequate medical opinions. The Veteran is also seeking TDIU based on these disabilities.

The Veteran's chronic lumbar spine, cervical spine, left elbow, and left ankle disabilities are found to be due to his honorable service. The Board has granted service connection for these conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) prior to December 1, 2018. However, it granted TDIU from December 1, 2018.

The Board has remanded the claims for a disability rating in excess of 20 percent for cervical spine disability and for a compensable rating as of May 24, 2016, for LUE radiculopathy due to incomplete development of the record.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary for the Veteran's claims of higher ratings for her neck, low back, and migraine disabilities. The Veteran will need to provide any evidence in support of her claims, and she will be scheduled for new VA examinations to determine the current severity of her symptoms, including a discussion of the ameliorative impacts of her prescribed medications.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for lower neck disability and headaches due to inadequate attempts by the Regional Office to obtain his medical treatment records from NATO HQ at Film City, Kosovo. The claim must be returned for further development.

The petition to reopen the previously-denied claim for service connection for a right shoulder disorder is granted. The petition to reopen the previously-denied claim for service connection for a right wrist disorder is denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted, with the exception of bronchitis and cervical radiculopathy in both upper extremities. The PACT Act presumption has been applied to sinusitis.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a left wrist disability, rating in excess of 10 percent for right ankle Achilles tendinitis, and rating in excess of 20 percent for left ankle Achilles tendinitis. The TDIU claim is also being remanded.

The Board denied service connection for left knee, right shoulder, lumbar spine, cervical spine, and left shoulder disabilities as they are not related to service or a service-connected disability.

The Board has granted service connection for right hip, left hip, right knee, and left knee degenerative arthritis status-post joint replacement. The issues of entitlement to service connection for neck disability and shoulder disabilities are remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for left upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, as secondary to herbicide exposure. The VA will need to provide a new opinion on whether these conditions are related to his service-connected aneurysm.

The Board has denied service connection for a chronic cervical spine disorder, left upper extremity radiculopathy, and right upper extremity radiculopathy. The lumbar spine disability is remanded for additional development regarding the Veteran's increased rating claims.

For the appellate period prior to January 4, 2016, the Veteran's headaches were rated at 30 percent.,Beginning January 4, 2016, the Veteran was granted a 50 percent disability rating for her headaches.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings are being remanded due to the need for new VA examinations and a supplemental statement of the case.