The Veteran's service-connected cervical spine disability is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board finds that additional evidence is needed to determine if a higher rating is warranted.
The deciding factor: The Veteran reported worsening symptoms of his cervical spine disability, including limited range of motion, pain, stiffness, tingling, and numbness in his neck, shoulders, and arms. The remand is necessary to obtain updated treatment records and conduct an appropriate VA examination to assess the current severity of the condition.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD) of the cervical spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 19, 2019
- Citation
- 19195422
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 19195422.
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 has remanded the claims for service connection due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error. The Veteran's DJD of the lumbar spine, cervical spine, and migraines are being reviewed again with an aim to determine their relationship to his active duty service.
- Denied
The Board denied a request for an effective date prior to April 16, 2014 for the award of service connection for DJD of the cervical spine, patellofemoral syndrome of the right and left knees, residual scar from GSW of the back, and mild interphalangeal osteoarthritis of the left fifth finger.
- Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a neck condition, finding that the evidence does not support a link between his current disability and his military service.
- Granted
The Veteran's cervical spine DJD is granted service connection, while his lumbosacral spine DDD and DJD remains at a 20% rating. The Veteran's current disability ratings are based on the General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine.
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