Neck / cervical spine Board decisions

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete STRs and outstanding VA treatment records. The issues include gout, cervical spine disorder, back disorder, anxiety disorder, respiratory disorder, sleep/fatigue disorder, headaches, and muscle pain disorders, all potentially related to Persian Gulf service.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and effective dates have been dismissed due to the Veteran requesting to withdraw his appeals.,The Veteran has service-connected disabilities including Obstructive Sleep Apnea with Asthma, Major Depressive Disorder with Borderline Personality Disorder, Degenerative Joint Disease of the Right Knee, Degenerative Disc Disease with Degenerative Joint Disease of the Lumbar Spine, and Degenerative Disc Disease with Degenerative Joint Disease of the Cervical Spine.

The Board has granted service connection for secondary cervical spine, intervertebral disc syndrome, and spinal stenosis conditions related to the Veteran's service-connected right knee and lumbar spine disabilities. A disability rating of 40 percent is granted.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for PTSD and mood disorder have been dismissed. The claims of service connection for residual of TBI, cervical spine disorder, and respiratory disorder are remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings due to insufficient information from previous VA examinations regarding his lumbosacral, cervical, and left knee disabilities. The AOJ is instructed to obtain updated treatment records and arrange for new orthopedic examinations.

The Board has determined that the case must be remanded for additional development due to procedural errors and incomplete medical records.

The Board dismissed the appeal of the ankle disability as it was granted in a previous decision. The right shoulder and cervical spine disabilities were granted service connection.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for higher ratings in all three issues, resulting in the dismissal of these claims.

The Veteran's appeals for earlier effective dates for service connection and ratings have been denied.,Specifically, the Board found that no earlier effective date could be granted due to a July 6, 2017 auto-generated 'intent to file' form which did not preserve an effective date of July 6, 2017.

The Veteran's cervical spine DDD and CAD were denied increased ratings.,Hypertension, hemorrhoids, and right foot fracture with gout were also denied increased ratings.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to new and material evidence not having been submitted. The issues of service connection for lumbar spine condition, cervical spine condition, sleep apnea (due to asbestos exposure and as secondary to service-connected tinnitus and non-service-connected lumbar spine condition), and shoulder pain are all remanded.

The Veteran's increased ratings for cervical radiculopathy of the right upper extremity are denied.,The Veteran's entitlement to a rating in excess of 30 percent for cervical radiculopathy of the left upper extremity is also denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's April 2019 VA Form 10182 constitutes a valid and timely legacy appeal for service connection for neck, back, and bilateral knee disabilities. The case is REMANDED to issue a Statement of the Case on these issues.

The Board has remanded the claims for a lumbar spine disability, cervical spine disorder, bilateral knee disorder, and bilateral hip disorder due to inadequate examination reports and incomplete medical opinions. The Veteran is to be provided with new VA examinations and addendum opinions regarding his service connection claims.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disability, finding that the Veteran did not meet the criteria as there was no evidence of a current disability related to an in-service injury or disease. The Board also denied service connection for a cervical spine disability, concluding that the Veteran's current condition is not causally related to his military service.,The Board determined that the Veteran's low back and cervical spine disabilities are not directly linked to his active duty service.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability and LUE radiculopathy were remanded for further development. The effective date of the TDIU rating was granted as February 11, 2014.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions have been remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and records.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals on all issues, including those for increased ratings and service connection. The Board dismissed the appeal due to the Veteran's withdrawal.

The Veteran's cervical spine disorder, diagnosed as degenerative disc disease, is related to an in-service injury. The Veteran's dizziness is the result of his now service-connected cervical spine disability.,Service connection for bilateral foot disorders and bilateral ankle disorders are remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's neck, low back, left shoulder, right shoulder, and right hip disabilities are not service-connected as they did not begin during active service or are otherwise unrelated to service.,The Veteran's TMJ disorder was also denied as it is not service-connected.