The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete records and a need for additional medical opinions. The Veteran's radiculopathy of the right upper extremity is being reviewed, with an emphasis on whether VA treatment caused or contributed to his disability.
The deciding factor: Incomplete records and lack of expert opinions prevent a clear determination of service connection.
- Claimed conditions
- radiculopathy, neurological impairment
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 21, 2020
- Citation
- 20004765
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 remands the claims for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities and special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance, pending implementation of an earlier effective date for urge incontinence.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for radiculopathy, as there was no evidence of a current diagnosis of radiculopathy.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the Veteran's claim for service connection for lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis, IVDS, radiculopathy, and bulging disc to obtain a more thorough medical opinion.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's request to restore higher ratings for degenerative disc disease and radiculopathy, finding that the reductions were proper based on medical evidence.
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