Neck / cervical spine Board decisions

The Board has determined that the VA medical opinions provided are inadequate and requires further examination to determine if the Veteran's disabilities were caused or aggravated by service or a service-connected disability.

The Board has denied the petitions to reopen previously denied claims of service connection for an eye disorder, lumbar spine degenerative arthritis, and cervical spine spondylosis. The Veteran's contentions that his conditions are related to service have not been substantiated by new evidence.

The Board has remanded the claims for increased ratings for PTSD, IVDS of the cervical spine, and Right Shoulder Strain due to insufficient evidence or procedural issues.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for higher disability evaluations due to a withdrawal request by the appellant's authorized representative.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are remanded due to the need for additional examinations.

The Veteran's request to reopen claims for PTSD and a spinal column disability is granted, but the claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder is denied.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension, a heart disability, and various joint and foot disorders. The Veteran's claims were not supported by evidence showing onset in service or continuity of symptomatology.,The Board found that the Veteran did not have current disabilities related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's neck disability, specifically whether it is related to service or service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is REMANDED for additional examinations and development of his claims, including service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and increased ratings for cervical and thoracolumbar spine conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's current carpal tunnel syndrome is related to service, including as a result of typing as part of his duties as a radio operator.

The Board has granted an effective date of July 1, 2011 for the award of a TDIU based on service-connected disabilities that rendered the Veteran unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment as of that date.

The Veteran's service-connected cervical spine fracture of C2-C3, with associated radiculopathy of the bilateral upper extremities, renders him incapable of obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment as of April 9, 2015.,Special monthly compensation (SMC) under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(s) is granted for the Veteran's service-connected disabilities effective April 9, 2015.

The Veteran's claim for an increased disability rating in excess of 10 percent prior to December 12, 2018, for cervical spine degenerative disc disease with arthritis (neck disability) is denied.,The Veteran's claim for an increased disability rating in excess of 20 percent from December 12, 2018 to September 27, 2022, for neck disability is denied.,The Veteran's claim for an increased disability rating in excess of 30 percent beginning September 27, 2022, for neck disability is denied.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's cervical spine disabilities (claimed as neck condition) and bilateral hip disability, finding that these conditions are at least as likely as not related to his active-duty service.

The Board denied service connection for a neck disability, kidney disability, and irregular periods (menstrual problems). The VA examiner found no current diagnosed conditions.,VA examinations revealed that the Veteran does not have current diagnosed kidney disability. For the other conditions, the VA examiner provided negative nexus opinions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for TDIU, finding that his February 2012 formal claim was implicitly denied in a prior August 2008 rating decision due to the relatedness of the claims and the timing of the filings. The Board also noted there were no new and material evidence submitted during the appeal period.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for cervical spine and bilateral shoulder conditions due to a lack of relevant VA medical records, inadequate opinions from the October 2016 VA examinations, and the need for additional development.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability is currently rated at 30 percent from February 16, 2016. The Board denied a higher rating as the evidence did not support an increase in disability beyond what was already reflected in the current rating.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment. The TDIU claim is granted, but the increased rating for muscle disability of the neck and left shoulder is remanded due to lack of recent medical records.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, combined, rendered him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment from June 17, 2019, to October 6, 2019. The appeal is remanded for additional development.