Neck / cervical spine Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied. The Board found no current disability of the feet, and the claim was denied on the basis that there is no evidence of a chronic foot condition during service or since. For his anxiety disorder with TBI, the Board determined that the General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders (DC 9413) should be used, resulting in a 50% rating.

The Board has remanded the claims for cervical spine disorder and diabetes mellitus, type II due to insufficient opinions regarding their etiology. The Veteran's service records do not provide clear evidence of these conditions during or immediately after his military service.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's cervical spine degeneration and bilateral wrist disability are not service-connected as secondary to her service-connected right shoulder disability, and thus remanded for further development.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's neck disability, including as secondary to his service-connected adjustment disorder. The Board found that the Veteran's current neck disability is at least as likely as not incurred in or caused by his active-duty service.

The Board has remanded the claims for hypertension, neck disability, back disability, residuals of rib fractures, erectile dysfunction, and kidney disease due to additional evidentiary development.

The Board denied service connection for a cervical spine disability, finding that the Veteran's statements about continuity of symptoms since service are not credible and that there is no causal relationship between his cervical spine disability and his in-service assault.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including hypertension, testicular hypofunction, neck disability, cervical radiculopathy, esophageal disability, back disability, bronchitis, emphysema, and COPD. The issues are related to whether these conditions were caused or aggravated by his time in service.

The Veteran's cervical spine posttraumatic arthritis, right upper extremity radiculopathy, and left upper extremity radiculopathy have been granted service connection. The Veteran's lumbar spine degenerative disc disease has not met the criteria for a rating in excess of 40 percent.

The Veteran's COPD is currently rated as 10 percent disabling, but the evidence does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.,The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's combined service-connected disabilities, including PTSD with anxiety and depression, left shoulder strain, cervical strain, and other conditions, rendered him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment from November 25, 2009, to February 9, 2011. The Board granted a TDIU on an extraschedular basis for this period.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations and opinions provided do not sufficiently address the Veteran's claims for service connection, particularly regarding whether her current disabilities are related to in-service events or conditions. The issues have been remanded once again.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate opinions and procedural issues. A new secondary service connection opinion is needed based on accurate factual history, including consideration of all Veteran's service-connected disabilities.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further development due to non-compliance with previous directives. The Veteran's claims for thoracolumbar and cervical spine conditions are still under review.

The Veteran's bilateral foot disorder, cervical spine degenerative disc disease, lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, right knee chondromalacia, left knee chondromalacia (status post surgery), right ankle degenerative changes (post-fracture), right shoulder degenerative changes, and left shoulder status post resection of the left distal clavicle are all granted. Headaches and sinusitis also received initial rating grants.

A separate 20 percent disability rating is granted for left upper extremity radiculopathy, effective September 23, 2020.,The Veteran's cervical spine disorder remains at a 30 percent rating.

The Board has granted service connection for a cervical spine disorder, finding that the current condition is due to an in-service injury during ACDUTRA. The claim was reopened based on new evidence showing continuity of symptoms since service.

The Veteran's cervical dystonia and gastritis have been granted service connection. The right shoulder, left shoulder, and nervous condition claims remain denied.,Service connection for cervical dystonia is granted based on a current diagnosis and the presence of complaints during service.

The Veteran's cervical spine condition was not related to service or his service-connected back disability, and there is no service-connected condition for the upper extremity condition to be secondary to. As a result, the Veteran's claim for TDIU has been withdrawn.,Service connection for a cervical spine condition and an upper extremity condition as secondary to a cervical condition were denied due to lack of evidence supporting their relationship with service or service-connected conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for neck, back, and arthritis disabilities due to a lack of compliance with prior remand instructions regarding secondary service connection.

The Veteran's TDIU rating is granted from September 11, 2004, to May 17, 2012, due to his service-connected disabilities preventing him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment.