Neck / cervical spine — all decisions

The Board granted service connection for GERD, pain of the cervical and cervicothoracic regions, and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), but denied a compensable disability rating for right ear hearing loss, service connection for left ear hearing loss, an acquired psychiatric disorder, and a traumatic brain injury (TBI).

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, as well as remanded several other claims for further development.

The Board remands the claims for further development and to ensure proper due process, including adequate requests for service and medical records, and adequate medical examinations based upon an accurate record.

The Board granted service connection for a temporomandibular joint disorder, sleep disorder (claimed as obstructive sleep apnea), lumbar spine strain, and cervical spine degenerative arthritis, all secondary to the Veteran's service-connected post-traumatic stress disorder. The claim for traumatic brain injury was denied.

The Board granted service connection for recurrent cervical spine injury residuals including strain residuals, finding that the disability originated during active service.

The Board remands the matters of entitlement to service connection for a neck disability, right knee disability, and left knee disability for additional development.

The Board denied increased ratings for cervical strain, degenerative arthritis and disc disease with spondylosis, right and left knee osteoarthritis, and right upper and lower extremity radiculopathy but granted separate 10 percent ratings for right and left knee instability and a 40 percent rating for right upper extremity radiculopathy. The Board also remanded the claim for entitlement to TDIU.

The Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's lumbosacral musculoligamentous strain, radiculopathy of both lower extremities, right ankle sprain, and allergic rhinitis. Service connection was granted for eczema (claimed as dermatitis) but denied for sinusitis, cirrhosis of the liver, cervical strain, left shoulder strain, right shoulder strain, and left ankle strain.

The Board granted service connection for coronary artery disease as secondary to sleep apnea and denied the other claims on appeal.

The Board remands the claim for a cervical spine disability to obtain an adequate medical opinion addressing both causation and aggravation.

The Veteran withdrew their appeal for all service connection and increased rating claims, including carpal tunnel syndrome, allergic rhinitis, bilateral hearing loss, left eye, left elbow, left hip, left shoulder, hemorrhoids, headaches, back, neck, hypertension, obstructive sleep apnea, and prediabetes.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a cervical spine condition and acquired psychiatric disabilities, to include GAD claimed as PTSD-anxiety, due to deficiencies in the VA examinations.

The Board remands the claims for additional development, specifically to obtain addendum medical opinions assessing the severity of the Veteran's service-connected cervical spine and right knee in terms of functional loss with weight bearing and passive motion.

The Board dismissed all issues as a matter of law due to a procedural defect in the Veteran's February 2023 VA Form 10182s, which attempted to concurrently elect multiple review options.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeal for an increased, compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss and remanded claims for service connection for cervical strain, left knee disability, and right shoulder disability.

The Board granted service connection for atopic dermatitis, degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine and dextroscoliosis, and cervical spine degenerative arthritis.

The Board granted service connection for a cervical spine disability, finding it to be related to the Veteran's active duty service.

The Veteran withdrew the appeal for issues related to higher ratings and service connection.

The Board granted service connection for a psychiatric disorder, other than posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), variously diagnosed as major depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, adjustment disorder, and panic disorder.

The Board granted service connection for cervical strain as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected lumbosacral strain and bilateral lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy.