The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for back and neck disabilities due to Gulf War Illness, as they are related to medically unexplained chronic multisymptom illnesses.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner did not provide a rationale for their opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran’s claimed conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- spondylolisthesis of L5-S1, cervicalgia
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 19, 2019
- Citation
- 19195346
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 19195346.
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 cervicalgia, jaw disability, stomach disability, and drug abuse as the evidence did not support a finding of an in-service incurrence or aggravation of these conditions.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for multiple conditions, including bilateral foot disability, knee disability, ankle disability, cervical degenerative disc disease, spondylosis, and cervicalgia, secondary to a service-connected lumbar strain, as well as GERD. The claims of readjudication were also granted.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for cervicalgia, spondylosis deformans, and degenerative disc disease, resolving all reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for cervicalgia and headaches as secondary to the Veteran's now-service-connected cervicalgia.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.