Neck / cervical spine Board decisions

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a cervical spine disorder, finding that the evidence does not support a link between the fall during active service and the current condition.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claims for service connection for a right shoulder disability, thoracolumbar spine disability, hypertension, an acquired psychiatric disability (PTSD), hearing loss, tinnitus, cervical spine disability, and obstructive sleep apnea. The claims are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 100 percent effective July 16, 2012. The Veteran also received SMC based on housebound status due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the claims for a thoracolumbar spine disorder, cervical spine disorder, left upper extremity disorder, and bilateral eye disorder due to additional development being required.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and to obtain an addendum opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's sleep disability, including whether it is related to service or PTSD.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss disability, PTSD, lumbar spine disability, cervical spine disability, and right lower extremity radiculopathy are all denied as the evidence does not support a finding that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by service.

The Board has granted service connection for various disabilities associated with Reiter's syndrome and awarded an effective date of April 3, 1997.

Service connection is granted for rheumatoid arthritis of the joints.,Service connection is granted for early onset peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities due to in-service herbicide exposure.,Service connection is granted for DDD of the cervical spine.,The claim for a higher rating for DDD of the lumbar spine is remanded.,The claims for service connection for neurological disorders of the right and left upper extremities are remanded.,The claims for service connection for difficulty breathing and extreme tiredness are remanded.,,

The Veteran's nephrolithiasis (kidney stones) is granted with a rating of 30 percent. The right-hand disability and joint pain disorder are both remanded for further evaluation.

The Board denied service connection for basal cell cancer, cervical spine disability, and left knee disability. The Veteran's conditions were not shown to be related to his military service or exposure to herbicides.

The Veteran's initial rating for associated lumbar spine radiculopathy, right lower extremity (RLE), is remanded due to a lack of notification and the need for a current examination.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee disability, left knee disability, right (dominant) shoulder disability, left shoulder disability, and cervical spine disability are all remanded due to insufficient evidence on the nexus between active service and these conditions.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee disability, left knee disability, right (dominant) shoulder disability, left shoulder disability, and cervical spine disability are all remanded due to insufficient evidence on the nexus between active service and these conditions.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for right (dominant) shoulder disability, left shoulder disability, and cervical spine disability are all remanded due to insufficient evidence on the nexus between active service and these conditions.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee disability, left knee disability, right (dominant) shoulder disability, left shoulder disability, and cervical spine disability are all remanded due to insufficient evidence on the nexus between active service and these conditions.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for cervical spine disability is remanded due to insufficient evidence on the nexus between active service and this condition.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine.,Service connection was denied for GERD, as there is no evidence linking it to service or a service-connected condition.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted from July 31, 2006. The Board also referred the issue of TDIU on an extraschedular basis prior to July 31, 2006 for further review.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for cervical strain, pes planus (flat feet/ fallen arches), and degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine have been granted. The cervical strain claim was reopened due to new evidence linking it to a service injury. Pes planus is considered directly related to service. Cervical strain is found to be secondary to his service-connected back disability.

The Veteran's tinnitus was granted service connection. The issues of bilateral hearing loss, neck disability, and bilateral plantar fasciitis are remanded for further development.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals, including the claims for service connection for a neck disability and increased rating claims for various disabilities. The Board dismissed all remaining issues on appeal.

The Board denied service connection for a left shoulder strain and a cervical strain, finding that the Veteran's current disabilities are not related to in-service injuries or diseases.,The Board granted an effective date of April 4, 2016 for a 70 percent rating for PTSD.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for cervical and thoracic spine disorders due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their relationship to service. The VA will provide new examinations to determine if these conditions are directly related to his military service or secondary to his service-connected lumbar spine disability.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for Barrett's Esophagus, severance of prior grants of service connection for degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine and cervical spine, and whether GAD should be severed from service. The examiner is requested to provide an opinion on whether the Veteran's thoracolumbar and cervical spine conditions were aggravated by INACDUTRA.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to adjudicate the Veteran's claims, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling additional VA examinations.