Neck / cervical spine Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine, cervical spine spondylosis, right hand osteoarthritis, and left hand osteoarthritis based on chronic disease presumptive service connection due to symptoms that had their onset during service and have been continuous since service separation.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability is rated at 20 percent, and the claims for increased ratings are denied.,The Veteran's radiculopathy of the right upper extremity is rated at 20 percent, and the claim for an increase to a higher rating is denied.,The Veteran's radiculopathy of the left upper extremity is rated at 20 percent, and the claim for an increase to a higher rating is denied.

The Veteran's application to reopen his claim for service connection of a cervical spine disability has been granted. Service connection is also granted for tinnitus. The Board has found the evidence insufficient to determine whether the Veteran's current cervical spine and bilateral hearing loss disabilities are related to service, or if they are caused by or aggravated by his service-connected left shoulder disability. Therefore, these claims have been remanded for further development.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's neck injury and her service-connected left shoulder impingement syndrome. The VA will need to provide a new opinion on whether the Veteran's current neck condition is related to her active service.

The Veteran's left shoulder sprain with tendonitis and degenerative joint disease of the cervical spine have been evaluated, but no increased ratings are granted.

The Board found that VA waived any objection to the timeliness of the filing of the Veteran's substantive appeal, and thus granted the appeal for all issues listed in the August 2016 rating decision.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for low back and mid-back disorders were denied as there was no evidence of a current disability related to service.

The Board has dismissed all service connection claims due to the death of the appellant.

Compensation for diplopia granted under 38 U.S.C. § 1151. Service connection for cervical spine disorder is remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board denied service connection for cervical spine disability, radiculopathy of the upper and lower extremities, left knee disability, and esophageal disability (Barrett's esophagus).,Service connection was granted for cluster headaches.,TDIU claim was dismissed due to lack of response from the Veteran.

The Veteran's initial 40 percent rating for left upper extremity radiculopathy is granted. The Board finds the VA examinations inadequate and remands for further examination to determine appropriate ratings for cervical spine disability, right upper extremity radiculopathy, and left upper extremity radiculopathy. Additionally, the Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to lack of a proper medical examination.

Service connection is granted for a neck disability. The Veteran's left hip disability with painful motion, pelvic fracture, and limitation of extension are each rated at 10 percent.,An increased rating to 20 percent for the right clavicle disability was denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for cervical and lumbar spine disorders have been denied as the evidence does not show that his conditions meet or approximate the criteria for a rating more than 30 percent for the cervical spine disorder, or a rating more than 20 percent for the lumbar spine disorder.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine and cervical spine due to inadequate medical opinions regarding secondary service connection.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD, depression, sleep disturbance, and cervical spine disability have been granted. The claim for a cervical spine disability was denied due to lack of evidence linking the condition to service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's cervical spine condition is caused or aggravated by his service-connected degenerative disc disease of the thoracic spine. Additional VA examination and records are needed.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 due to unresolved issues regarding his shoulder, hip, back, and neck disabilities.

The Veteran's left knee disability, osteoarthritis with a meniscal tear, is caused by his service-connected lumbosacral strain. The cervical spine and left ankle disabilities are not addressed in this decision.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cervical spine disability and bilateral upper extremity radiculopathy are not related to service, and therefore, denied both claims.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability is being remanded due to inadequate examination opinions. The examiner must provide a detailed rationale for all opinions, including citations to the relevant medical literature and service treatment records.,The neurological disabilities of the upper extremities are also being remanded as they are inextricably intertwined with the cervical spine disability.