The Veteran's claim for service connection for a pinched nerve of the upper left extremity, to include as due to a cervical spine disability and/or service-connected lumbar stenosis L3-4, L4-5, and L5-S1 with right and left lower extremity radiculitis/radiculopathy, status post decompression and fusion is remanded for further development.
The deciding factor: The Board finds that the May 2008 VA medical opinion is inadequate due to its lack of thorough explanation and based on a review of the Veteran’s medical history, the clinical findings made on examination, or the symptomatology reflected in the medical and lay evidence of record. Additionally, the May 2013 VA medical opinion does not address whether the Veteran's cervical spine disability is related to his lumbar spine disability.
- Claimed conditions
- pinched nerve of the upper left extremity, cervical spine disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- December 3, 2019
- Citation
- 19190964
Veterans Law Judge
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 19190964.
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 Board denied the claims of service connection for cervical spine and skin rash disabilities, finding that there is no evidence linking these conditions to active military service.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the claims for miscarriage, cervical spine disability, lumbar spine disability, and right elbow disability due to insufficient examination opinions and incomplete service history verification.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection for cervical and thoracolumbar spine disabilities due to a predecisional duty to assist error. The Veteran's past medical history needs to be considered in the new examination.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for sleep apnea and cervical spine disability due to potential service connection issues related to obesity, service-connected disabilities, and other factors.
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