The Veteran's back disability is rated at 20% and his cervical spine degenerative disc disease claim is remanded for further development.
The deciding factor: The evidence does not support a higher rating for the lumbar spine disability, but the cervical spine issue requires additional examination to determine its service connection.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Disc Disease of the Lumbar Spine, Cervical Spine Degenerative Disc Disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- October 16, 2018
- Citation
- 18142323
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 18142323.
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: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and Degenerative Disc Disease of the Lumbar Spine due to a duty to assist error. The AOJ is instructed to obtain relevant medical records, including SSA disability records and Federal prison medical records, and request an addendum opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's back disorder.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran is granted a TDIU due to his service-connected PTSD with major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder, as well as his lumbar spine disorder. The Board found the evidence in balance regarding whether these conditions render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's PTSD is granted as service-connected, and the Board finds that his back disability may be related to service. The case is remanded for a VA examination.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for his cervical spine disability and left upper extremity radiculopathy ratings, finding that no pending claim prior to March 10, 2020, supported these requests.
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