The Veteran seeks service connection for upper back spasms, which she claims were caused by her duties as an aircraft mechanic during active duty. The Board has remanded the case to obtain a VA examiner's opinion on whether these symptoms are at least as likely as not related to her military service.
The deciding factor: The Board requested an addendum opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's upper back disability, but the October 2014 VA Medical Officer stated that it would be 'mere speculation' to provide such without a new examination. The case is therefore remanded for further development and consideration.
- Claimed conditions
- Spasms of the upper back, to include the thoracic and cervical spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 13, 2015
- Citation
- 1501642
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 1501642.
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
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