Neck / cervical spine Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's degenerative disc disease of the cervical and lumbar spine is related to his active service.

The Board denied service connection for neck, right shoulder, and left shoulder disabilities as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected right hand disability.

The Board has remanded the issue of service connection for a cervical spine disability due to inadequate opinions and unclear reasoning regarding the etiology of the condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and cervical strain, finding that the evidence did not support higher ratings based on the results of audiometric evaluations and physical examinations.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's cervical spine disability, finding that it is at least as likely as not related to a motor vehicle accident (MVA) while in service.

The Veteran's current hypertension had its clinical onset during her period of active duty service, and the Board finds that service connection for hypertension is warranted.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability is restored to a 40 percent rating effective June 1, 2018. The Veteran's headache and acquired psychiatric disabilities are each granted increased ratings of 50 percent.

The Veteran's PTSD was granted a 70% rating from December 5, 2012 to September 8, 2015. The VA has remanded the cases for cervical disorder, low back disorder, and blood disorder claims.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cervical spine disability is related to his military service, and thus service connection for this condition is granted.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete review of the record by the VA examiner who previously provided opinions on the etiology of the Veteran's cervical spine disability. The Veteran is requested to provide additional medical records and for a new opinion from another qualified examiner.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for low back, cervical spine, and left knee disabilities due to in-service motor vehicle accident (MVA). The Veteran's claims are referred for further examination and opinion regarding the etiology of her current disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the severity of the Veteran's service-connected cervical spine strain prior to August 25, 2016. The VA needs to obtain a retrospective opinion considering functional impairments caused by pain during flare-ups or with repeated use over time.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the nature and etiology of any current low back, cervical spine, hearing loss, tinnitus, hepatitis C, acquired psychiatric disorder (including major depressive disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)), bilateral pes planus, and a cervical spine disorders. The case is REMANDED for these purposes.

The Board has granted service connection for cervical spine degenerative disc disease and denied service connection for right leg varicose veins, left leg varicose veins, a right hip disability, and a sleep disability.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient compliance with previous remand directives. The Veteran's neck disability is being reviewed again for a medical opinion regarding its etiology.

The Veteran's application to reopen a claim of entitlement to service connection for osteoarthritis of cervical neck is denied. The Board has also remanded the issues of service connection for left knee pain with arthritis and right knee pain with arthritis.

The Board has denied service connection for lumbar spine and cervical spine disabilities, as well as right and left upper extremity radiculopathy. The Veteran's current back disability is not considered to have had its onset in service or be otherwise causally related to service.

The Veteran's cervical spine and lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis disabilities have been restored to their previous ratings of 20 percent and 40 percent, respectively, effective April 3, 2013.

The Veteran's bilateral pes planus is rated at 50 percent, the maximum allowed.,Right and left upper extremity carpal tunnel syndrome are both rated at their respective maximums of 30% and 20%, respectively.,Cervical spine degenerative disc disease is rated at 10%. The Veteran's lumbar strain has been granted staged ratings, with a 10% rating from September 21, 2003 to September 16, 2019 and a 20% rating thereafter.,The Veteran’s claims for higher initial ratings are denied.

The Board has restored service connection for a cervical spine disability. Service connection was denied for left hand and wrist, left shin splints, right shin splints, left ankle, right ankle, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) disabilities.