The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to insufficient medical evidence. The Veteran's dystonia, thoracolumbar spine condition, and cervical spine condition associated with dystonia are all rated at 30 percent each.
The deciding factor: Further examination is needed to determine the current severity of the Veteran’s thoracolumbar and cervical spine conditions as they affect his service-connected dystonia.
- Claimed conditions
- Dystonia, Thoracolumbar spine condition associated with dystonia, Cervical spine condition associated with dystonia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 2, 2020
- Citation
- 20000147
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.
- Partly granted
The Board denied increased ratings for PTSD and GERD, remanded claims related to degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, left shoulder strain, chronic fatigue syndrome, Parkinson's disease, self-inflicted scarring, dystonia, and TDIU.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a medical examination to determine if the Veteran's current neck strain is related to his in-service activities.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD due to an inadequate medical opinion.
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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.