Neck / cervical spine — all decisions

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus and denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II. The remaining claims for service connection were remanded.

The Board remands the claims for a cervical spine disability and left knee disability, to include as secondary to service-connected lower back disability, for new VA opinions.

The Board denied service connection for insomnia, right ear hearing loss, and a neck disability. The claims for PTSD and left ear hearing loss were also denied. However, the claims for left knee, right knee, and back disabilities were remanded.

The Board denied service connection for a cervical spine condition and residuals of a traumatic brain injury, finding no evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's military service.

The Board granted service connection for cervical hematoma as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected renal disability, and also granted service connection for right upper extremity paralysis and loss of use of both hands due to the cervical hematoma.

The Board remands the issue of service connection for intervertebral disc syndrome with degenerative arthritis and acute cervical strain post motor vehicle accident without residuals due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to January 27, 2021, for the grant of a 40 percent disability rating for right upper extremity radiculopathy was granted.

The Board granted an initial rating of 30 percent for the Veteran's cervical fusion (neck disability) from January 22, 2016.

The Board granted service connection for a right shoulder disability, cervical and lumbar spine disabilities, and secondary service connection for cervical and lumbar radiculopathies.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection of migraine headaches, cervical spine strain, and bilateral upper extremity radiculopathy.

The Board granted service connection for right hip disability and cervical spine disability, finding that the Veteran's disabilities had their onset in service.

The Board denied service connection for radiculopathy of the upper and lower extremities, but remanded claims for a neck disability, lower back disability, right shoulder disability, left ankle disability, and right ankle disability.

The Board granted a 40 percent rating for chronic lumbar strain, restored the 10 percent rating for right knee patellofemoral syndrome effective February 11, 2023, and granted separate 10 percent ratings for instability of the right knee. The decision also granted a 70 percent rating for PTSD from June 8, 2021, and TDIU based on PTSD alone from August 21, 2021, along with SMC under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(s) based on housebound status from the same date.

The Board granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine and thoracolumbar spine, resolving all reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran was granted a separate 30 percent rating for syringomyelia, but the claims for higher ratings for cervical spine degenerative arthritis and for separate or compensable ratings for sinus conditions were denied.

The Board denied service connection for a right knee disability as there was no evidence of an injury during active duty, ACDUTRA, or INACDUTRA. The other claims were remanded to correct a duty to assist error.

The Board granted service connection for bilateral plantar fasciitis, a cervical spine disability, and a lumbar spine disability. The claims for a thoracic spine disability, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, bilateral upper extremity radiculopathy, bilateral tinea pedis, an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, and residuals of buttocks surgery were denied.

The Board denied service connection for headache, back, neck, and left shoulder disabilities as the conditions were not shown to be chronic in service or manifest within the applicable presumptive period; continuity of symptomatology was not established; and there was no evidence linking the disabilities to an in-service injury or disease.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for cervical degenerative anterolisthesis of C4-C5, cervical spondylosis at C5-C6, post cervical fusion, and left and right upper extremity radiculopathy due to an inadequate nexus opinion.

The Board remands the matters of whether new and relevant evidence has been received to warrant readjudication of the issues of service connection for a back disability, neck disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, right wrist disability, and tinnitus.