The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development due to the need for a medical opinion regarding the presence of ankylosis in his cervical spine.
The deciding factor: The Board finds that a medical opinion addressing whether or not ankylosis is present, and supported by sufficient reasoning, is necessary for adjudication.
- Claimed conditions
- Cervical arthritis, Ankylosing spondylitis, Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hypertosis (DISH)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- January 11, 2018
- Citation
- 1802344
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 1802344.
What this means for you
A remand sends an issue back for more development, often a new examination or missing records. It does not award the benefit or decide the final outcome. The original decision explains the additional work ordered.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's appeal for increased disability ratings for PTSD, TDIU and DEA benefits was denied. The Veteran is currently rated at 70 percent for PTSD with TBI.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has granted an earlier effective date of July 11, 2019 for the grant of service connection for cervical arthritis, stenosis, and myelopathy. The claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is denied due to lack of evidence supporting a causal relationship with service-connected conditions or other factors.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's initial disability rating for his service-connected back disability is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination and addendum medical opinion addressing the severity of his condition throughout the appeal period.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, but denied service connection for ankylosing spondylitis, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and right elbow chronic bursitis.
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