Neck / cervical spine Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment prior to July 30, 2021.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar spine, cervical spine, and residuals of a head injury disabilities. However, further development is needed as VA examinations are required to determine if these conditions are related to service.

The Board has remanded several claims for further development, including those related to insomnia disorder, erectile dysfunction, chronic fatigue syndrome, blackout spells, DDD of the cervical spine, pinched nerve as secondary to DDD of the cervical spine, right carpal tunnel syndrome, and right shoulder disability. The Veteran's hypertension claim is also being remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for low back pain, neck pain, lumbar disc degeneration radiculopathy, and left-sided hemiparesis are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and etiology opinions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's neck disability had its onset during service and is therefore granted service connection.

The Veteran's service connection claim for degenerative disc disease and spondylosis of the cervical spine is granted, as well as his secondary service connection claim for radiculopathy of the upper extremities due to this condition.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient compliance with prior remand directives, specifically regarding the Veteran's PTSD and its impact on his cervical spine disorder, muscle atrophy and weakness, and bilateral eye disorder.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection for back, neck, left knee, and right knee disabilities due to incomplete records. The Veteran's Social Security Administration disability benefits records and VA treatment records from the Columbus CBOC prior to 2001 need to be obtained.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for acquired psychiatric disability, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy and neuropathy, and cervical spine disability as secondary to his service-connected lumbar spine disability.

The Veteran's cervical intervertebral disc syndrome and lumbar spondylosis, L4-L5, L5-S1 with degenerative disc disease are each rated at 20 percent disabling. The Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted for either condition during the period on appeal.,The Veteran's cervical spine disability has been rated based on limitation of motion and currently assigned a 20 percent rating.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeal as the withholding of VA disability compensation benefits for 31 training days in FY 2014 was proper, based on the documentation provided by the Veteran and his unit commander.

The Board has restored the Veteran's original 20% rating for residuals of fracture, left pedicle, C5-6, undisplaced from September 1, 2017, as the reduction was improper due to insufficient evidence showing sustained material improvement under ordinary conditions of life.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him in need of regular aid and attendance, warranting SMC based on the need for aid and attendance.

The Board has decided to remand several issues related to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including left ankle sprain, right and left knee disabilities, lumbar and cervical spine disabilities, and hypertension. The Veteran is required to provide VA with his private treatment records for these conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for NASH as due to a service-connected disability, increased rating for his thoracic spine disability, and earlier effective date for his cervical spine disability rating.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for left foot pes planus, lumbar spine condition, cervical spine condition (secondary to a lumbar spine condition), great left toe disability, and left foot disability (other than pes planus) due to insufficient medical opinions addressing the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unemployable prior to February 11, 2014. The Board denied entitlement to TDIU on a schedular and extraschedular basis.

The Board has granted service connection for cervical spine DDD status-post C6-C7 fusion and chronic headaches, both of which are deemed to be directly related to the Veteran's active duty service.

The Board denied service connection for cervical spine degenerative arthritis and dismissed the appeal for an increased disability rating for chronic gastroenteritis, gastritis, and ulcers from December 19, 2014 due to a full grant of benefits in November 2018.

The Veteran's claim for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability.,The Veteran's stomach condition is remanded to obtain an opinion regarding direct service connection and secondary service connection.