The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining a VA medical examination and opinion regarding service connection for degenerative joint and disc disease of the cervical and thoracic spine. The veteran's claim for increase on his gunshot wound to the thoracic spine region is also being remanded.
The deciding factor: The Board found that an intertwined issue had been raised as to the veteran's entitlement to secondary service connection for degenerative joint and disc disease of the cervical and thoracic spine, which requires further development under VCAA requirements.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative joint and disc disease of the cervical spine, Degenerative joint and disc disease of the thoracic spine
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 17, 2008
- Citation
- 0843605
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 0843605.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected cervical spine disability and right upper extremity radiculopathy did not prevent him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment prior to July 21, 2015.
- Denied
The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities have not precluded him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation, thus denying his claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's radiculopathy of the right lower extremity is currently rated at 10 percent, but a higher rating is not warranted.,The Veteran's degenerative joint and disc disease of the cervical spine is currently rated at 10 percent, and no higher rating is warranted.,The Veteran's degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine is currently rated at 10 percent, and no higher rating is warranted.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for degenerative joint and disc disease and stenosis of the lumbar spine with radiculopathy of the bilateral lower extremities, cervical spine disability, and radiculopathy of the upper extremities due to inadequate medical opinions provided in the previous VA examinations.
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