Neck / cervical spine Board decisions

The Veteran's service connection claims for right shoulder, elbow, cervical spine, and lumbar spine disabilities have been denied as there is no evidence of a chronic condition during or within one year after service, and the current conditions are not related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his right wrist, cervical and lumbar spine disorders, and a service-connected mental disorder, precluded him from securing or following substantially gainful employment throughout the appeal period. The claim for TDIU is granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cervical spine disability was not incurred or aggravated by active service and is not related to a service-connected condition. The claim for secondary service connection due to obesity is also denied.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to conflicting medical opinions regarding the Veteran's cervical spine disorder and right upper extremity disorder. The AOJ is instructed to obtain additional medical opinions from a VA examiner or another suitably qualified individual.

The Board has determined that the AOJ did not substantially comply with the May 2021 remand directives and thus, a remand is necessary to obtain adequate opinions regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed bilateral knee conditions.,Additionally, the AOJ must follow its established procedures for requesting an advisory opinion furnished by a medical school, university, or clinic on remand.

The Board has denied service connection for left knee, right knee, and right wrist disabilities. The claims for a skin disability of the face and scalp and neck disability are remanded.

The Board has denied service connection for a neck disability and remanded the issue of service connection for a right knee disability.,For the right knee disability, the Board found that there is insufficient evidence to determine if it is caused or aggravated by the Veteran's service-connected back disability.

The Veteran's appeals for increased evaluation and service connection have been dismissed due to the Veteran's request for withdrawal of these appeals prior to a decision being made.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for his service-connected cervical spine disability is remanded due to the need for a more contemporaneous VA examination.

The Veteran's service connection claims for various disabilities were granted, but an effective date earlier than January 13, 2017 is denied.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeals regarding service connection for various conditions, including headaches, a left hip condition, syrinx cervical spine (tethered spinal cord), hyperactive reflexes and nerve condition/dysfunction/syringohydromyelia, and sleep apnea.

The appeal for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for cervical spine degenerative disc disease prior to July 30, 2015 is denied. The appeal for an initial evaluation in excess of 20 percent for cervical spine degenerative disc disease since July 30, 2015 is also denied.

The Board dismissed the claim of service connection for a cervical spine condition as it was rendered moot by the August 2021 rating decision that granted this condition. The issue of service connection for a thoracolumbar spine condition is remanded to the RO.

The Veteran has withdrawn their appeals for service connection for carpal tunnel syndrome and essential tremor, both claimed as secondary to PTSD with dissociative features. The appeal is dismissed.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for effective dates prior to April 17, 2019 for service connection of a painful scar status post stab wound, degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine, and radiculopathy of the left upper extremity. The effective date for each condition is set at April 17, 2019.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection and increased ratings were granted, with the exceptions of her claims for increased ratings for a right wrist disability, left wrist disability, and laceration to right thumb and fourth finger with residual loss of sensation and scarring.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar and cervical spine disabilities, as well as hyperlipidemia, were denied. The claim for a higher rating for bilateral hearing loss was also denied. An effective date earlier than May 10, 2018 for the grant of service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability is rated at 30 percent for the entire initial rating period from June 9, 2020. The issue of a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU) has been remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient information in his initial notice of disagreement.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have prevented him from securing or following substantially gainful employment, and he is granted a TDIU since December 6, 2016. Effective December 6, 2016, the Veteran is also granted SMC at the housebound rate.