Neck / cervical spine Board decisions

The Veteran withdrew all his appeals, including those related to PTSD, MDD, sleep apnea, left shoulder strain, recurrent headaches, hypertension, DDD of the lumbar spine, cervical DDD, right upper extremity radiculopathy, left upper extremity radiculopathy, and a heart condition.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted service connection based on presumed exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam. Service connection for psoriasis, cervical spine disability, and peripheral neuropathies of the upper and lower extremities are also granted as secondary to herbicide exposure.

The Veteran has withdrawn all appeals, including those related to increased disability ratings and service connection.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling an examination.

The Board has denied service connection for a low back disability due to the lack of evidence showing a current disability and no causal relationship between an in-service injury or disease. The cervical spine, right foot, and left foot disabilities are all remanded as there is insufficient medical evidence regarding their onset during active duty.

The Veteran's neck disability appeal has been withdrawn and dismissed.,Claims for service connection for right eye glaucoma and left eye glaucoma have been reopened due to new evidence submitted since the September 2015 rating decision.,Service connection for tinnitus is granted based on in-service noise exposure.,The Veteran's sinusitis is rated at 10 percent prior to February 13, 2019 and greater than 30 percent thereafter. The claim for a higher rating remains pending.,The Veteran's GERD is currently rated at 10 percent. A higher rating is not warranted based on the current evidence.,The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss claim requires additional medical examination to determine its relationship to service.,Service connection for PTSD is remanded due to inadequate VA examination in April 2019.,Service connection for right lower extremity radiculopathy and left lower extremity radiculopathy greater than 10 percent are both remanded.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left eye glaucoma secondary to service-connected disabilities must be remanded due to inadequate VA examination in November 2018.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and a rating higher than 10 percent for his left knee disability are denied. However, he is granted a separate 10 percent rating for instability of the left knee throughout the period under consideration. The remaining claims (for GERD, cervical strain, and sleep disorder) are remanded.

The Veteran's radiculopathy of the bilateral upper extremities is granted as secondary to his service-connected bilateral shoulder disability. However, the cervical spine disorder is not found to be related to his service-connected bilateral shoulder disability and thus denied. The claim for a compensable initial rating for hypertension remains pending.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability was rated at 10% prior to December 5, 2019 and at 30% from December 5, 2019 to July 1, 2021. The Board found a uniform 30% rating for the entire period prior to July 1, 2021. After July 1, 2021, the Veteran's cervical spine disability was rated at 20%. A higher rating is not warranted.

The Board has granted service connection for cervical strain. The Veteran's left and right shoulder disorders, as well as his left hip, knee, and lower extremity radiculopathy are not related to service.

The Veteran's cervical spine condition is rated at a 30 percent disability rating, effective November 5, 2014. The Board found the evidence in approximate balance as to whether the Veteran's cervical spine condition was manifested by pain and limited range of motion.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his back and neck disabilities have been denied as the evidence does not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the applicable VA regulations.

The Board denied service connection for low back and neck disabilities, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbosacral spine, cervical spine, right knee, and left knee disabilities are being remanded for additional examinations to assess their current severity.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient information regarding his exposure to hazardous substances and materials during service. The Veteran is also required to undergo examinations for his cervical spine, lumbar spine injury, left knee, and right knee conditions.

The Board has determined that the appellant's discharge under other than honorable conditions for willful and persistent misconduct bars him from receiving service-connected compensation benefits. The appeal is REMANDED to obtain a medical opinion regarding the relationship between the appellant's cervical spine spondylosis and his parachute jumps and airborne training during service, as well as an examination to determine the nature and etiology of any PTSD or other specified trauma and stressor-related disorder.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was denied. The rating for his cervical spine disability prior to October 11, 2018, was granted at a 30% level but not higher. His request for a TDIU was withdrawn.

Service connection is granted for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities as secondary to service-connected type II diabetes mellitus.,Service connection is denied for cervical spine disability, thoracolumbar spine disability, respiratory disability (chronic), obstructive sleep apnea, tinnitus, and chronic disability manifested by dizziness.

The Board has granted service connection for squamous cell carcinoma of the mouth and cervical lymph node metastatic disease, finding that these conditions are at least as likely as not related to the Veteran's Agent Orange exposure. The decision also acknowledges a link between the Veteran's PTSD and his use of tobacco and alcohol, which contributed to his cancer development.

The Board has granted service connection for right and left sciatica of the lower extremities, cervical spine disability, bilateral plantar fasciitis, left upper extremity numbness, and right upper extremity numbness based on new evidence received since previous denials.