The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for a cervical spine condition and sleep apnea due to incomplete opinions from VA examiners. The Veteran's cervical condition is related to his military service, but the examiner found no evidence in service records. Sleep apnea was diagnosed after service, and there is conflicting information about its onset.
The deciding factor: The Board has determined that the current opinions are insufficient and requires additional examination and opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's cervical spine condition and sleep apnea.
- Claimed conditions
- Cervical spine condition, Degenerative disc disease of cervical spine, Arthritis of cervical spine, Spondylosis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 21, 2018
- Citation
- 18127407
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 18127407.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for cervical spine condition and left shoulder condition due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error, as VA failed to provide the Veteran with VA examinations and medical opinions to assess the nature and etiology of his conditions.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for a cervical spine condition was granted as new and relevant evidence has been received. The case is remanded to obtain additional medical records, provide a VA examination, and determine the etiology of the Veteran's cervical spine condition.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the cases for further development and consideration due to inadequate opinions regarding the Veteran's cervical spine condition and TBI. The VA will obtain an adequate opinion on both issues.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for a cervical spine condition due to new evidence submitted since the last decision. The VA examinations provided conflicting opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's cervical spine condition, and a new examination is needed.
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