Neck / cervical spine Board decisions

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development and medical opinion regarding the Veteran's cervical spine disorder.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and has remanded the remaining issues due to a lack of medical evidence addressing the severity of the Veteran's cervical spine and lumbar spine disabilities, as well as his headaches, sinus condition, and allergic rhinitis.

The Veteran withdrew her claims for increased evaluations on multiple knee and shoulder conditions, resulting in the dismissal of these appeals.

The Veteran's combined rating for her service-connected disabilities is 60%, which meets the schedular criteria for a TDIU. However, she does not meet the noneconomic component of a TDIU as she can still perform substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's headaches are found to be secondary to his service-connected hepatitis C, and the Board grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to conflicting opinions on whether service-connected psychiatric disability caused or aggravated the Veteran's claimed disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hypertension, bilateral hip strain, bilateral knee arthritis, and cervical spine degenerative disc disease due to inadequate or missing VA opinions on causation and aggravation.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities result in a combined rating of 100 percent prior to November 13, 2017. However, the Board finds that his single disability rated at 100 percent does not render him unemployable due to these conditions alone.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability is currently rated at 20 percent, but the Board finds that it does not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating due to lack of forward flexion to 15 degrees or less. The issue of TDIU has been granted, subject to further development.,Service connection for basal cell carcinoma was remanded and issues for left and right hallux rigidus were also remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for a cervical disorder and secondary service connection for left-hand tremors, finding that the Veteran's preexisting conditions were aggravated by his military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to outstanding medical records and uncompleted VA examinations.

The Veteran was granted a TDIU on an extraschedular basis from January 9, 2017, through March 13, 2017. The criteria for entitlement to a TDIU were met due to his service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to obtain the Veteran's complete service treatment records and personnel records, as well as his VA treatment records from Las Vegas. The claims for service connection are being remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various shoulder and spine disabilities, as well as a knee disability, due to inadequate medical opinions regarding secondary causation. The VA is instructed to obtain new addendum opinions from an appropriate examiner.

The Veteran's cervical spine, low back, right knee, left knee, and right shoulder disabilities are being remanded for further development.,New evidence has been submitted to reopen claims for service connection of these conditions.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability is rated at 30 percent effective March 21, 2005.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for cervical degenerative disc disease, right arm and shoulder disability, and left arm and thumb disability due to new evidence that may be relevant to his service connection claims.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a neck disability due to new and material evidence received since the November 2010 rating decision. However, the issue of whether the current neck disability is related to service or secondary to his service-connected lumbosacral strain and degenerative arthritis remains pending.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for a headache disability and stomach disability, but remanded the cases due to insufficient development. The cervical spine disability claim is granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for a cervical spine disorder, finding that there is no evidence showing the condition was manifested in service or to a compensable degree within one year following separation from active duty.