The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for chronic cervical strain and degenerative disc disease of thoracolumbar spine, as well as the TDIU claim. Additional development is needed to provide an adequate opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's current conditions and his military service.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner needs to provide opinions on whether the Veteran’s current chronic cervical strain and degenerative disc disease of thoracolumbar spine are at least as likely as not related to in-service injuries, events, or diseases.
- Claimed conditions
- chronic cervical strain, degenerative disc disease of thoracolumbar spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 31, 2019
- Citation
- 19107708
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 remands the issue of entitlement to an increased disability rating in excess of 10 percent for service-connected chronic cervical strain due to a lack of adequate VA examination.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for higher ratings for chronic cervical strain, chronic lumbar strain, and chronic left and right shoulder sprains prior to November 30, 2022.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remanded the claims for a higher rating due to inadequate VA examinations. A new examination is required to assess the veteran's conditions during flare-ups and repeated use.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for thrombocytopenia purpura and higher ratings for several other conditions due to lack of evidence or failure to attend scheduled VA examinations.
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This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.