The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for service-connected Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD) of the cervical and lumbar spine due to insufficient evidence from a previous VA examination, including lack of recent treatment records and an updated clinical evaluation.
The deciding factor: The need for a new VA examination is based on the passage of time since the last examination and the Veteran's reported worsening symptoms.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD), cervical spine, Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD), lumbar spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 12, 2019
- Citation
- 19145539
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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including cervical spine, chronic fatigue, and various nerve damages, as the evidence did not support a finding of a current disability related to in-service events.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for degenerative disc disease and associated radiculopathy, as the record does not include all relevant treatment records prior to back surgery.
- Granted
The veteran was granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to his service-connected disabilities.
- Granted
The Board granted a 10 percent disability rating for the Veteran's service-connected cervical spine, finding that there was functional loss due to pain causing additional disability beyond that reflected on range of motion measurements.
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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.