Neck / cervical spine Board decisions

The Board has decided that the Veteran's cervical spine disability had its onset during service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various disabilities, including left ankle, right shoulder, left shoulder, right knee, left knee, cervical spine, and chest pain. The remand requires additional medical opinions addressing whether these conditions were aggravated by the Veteran's service-connected PTSD, major depressive disorder, and other specified trauma and stress related disorders.

The Board has dismissed all service connection claims due to the Veteran's death.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar and cervical spine osteoarthritis due to conflicting medical opinions and lack of clear and unmistakable evidence regarding pre-existing spinal canal stenosis.

The Board has remanded three issues related to the Veteran's service-connected cervical and lumbar spine disabilities, as well as radiculopathy of the right lower extremity. The reasons for this are that the most recent VA examination was conducted almost eleven years ago, which is deemed insufficient given the potential worsening of the conditions.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's cervical spine disorder and its relation to his military service. The Veteran will need a VA examination to determine if he has a current cervical spine disorder related to his service.

The Board has withdrawn the appeal for service connection of a cervical spine disability. The case is remanded to determine if renal cell carcinoma is related to herbicide exposure and/or hypertension.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability, rated at 20 percent disabling under DC 5242-5243, is not shown to warrant a higher rating as the evidence does not demonstrate forward flexion limited to 15 degrees or less.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's service connection claim for a nerve disorder of the right upper extremity, including peripheral neuropathy and carpal tunnel syndrome, due to exposure to tactical herbicides. The case is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and arranging for an appropriate healthcare provider to review the claims file and provide an opinion on whether it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran's nerve disorder had its onset during service or is due to an event or incident of his period of active service.

The Veteran's service connection claims for cervical spine arthritis and lumbar spine strain with disc bulge are granted. The Veteran also received a 10 percent rating for his bilateral hand eczema, but the initial ratings for right and left foot bunionectomies remain denied.

The Board has ordered a remand for further development, including obtaining additional medical records and scheduling the Veteran for an examination to assess his cervical spine disability and chronic pain syndrome.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including OSA, Chiari I malformation with cervical syrinx, cervical DDD, bilateral knee disabilities, right elbow disability, right carpal tunnel syndrome, left wrist disability, and bilateral shoulder disabilities. The decision found that the Veteran's current diagnoses were not incurred in service or related to his service-connected bronchial asthma.

Your appeal has been dismissed due to the Veteran's death. The Board does not have jurisdiction to decide your claims now.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development and to obtain adequate medical opinions. The Veteran's representative questioned the competency of previous VA examiners, and the appeal is being remanded due to inadequate examination reports.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development to determine the severity of his service-connected left elbow disability and to address claims for secondary service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment prior to July 5, 2012.

The Board denied service connection for a back condition, neck condition, and cervical radiculopathy as there was no evidence of chronic disability in service or within one year following discharge.,There is no indication that the Veteran's current spine and radicular disorders are related to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for dyslipidemia is denied as it is not a disability under VA law and regulations.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, cervical spine strain, low back pain, degenerative joint diseases of the shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips, knees, ankles, and feet, allergic rhinitis, peptic ulcer, diverticulosis, hiatal hernia, erectile dysfunction, benign prostate hyperplasia, memory disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and major depression are remanded for further development.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a total disability rating due to unemployability (TDIU) is also remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the above-mentioned issues.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus and cervical spine disability are rated, with the cervical spine receiving a 20% rating effective January 30, 2020. The diabetes is rated at 20%. The cervical spine disability was previously rated at 10%, but now receives a 20% rating.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral shoulder disability and back or neck disability due to additional development being necessary, including obtaining a new VA examination.