The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for cervical and thoracolumbar spine disabilities, diabetes mellitus, erectile dysfunction, and a disability manifesting in low testosterone secondary to Hodgkin’s disease due to radiation exposure during treatment.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's private physician opined that his cervical and thoracolumbar spine disabilities are related to radiation exposure for treating Hodgkin’s disease. The Board requires further examination to determine the nature of these disabilities and their relationship to service-connected Hodgkin’s disease.
- Claimed conditions
- Cervical spine disability, Thoracolumbar spine disability, Diabetes mellitus, Erectile dysfunction, Disability manifesting in low testosterone
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- Ionizing radiation
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 13, 2020
- Citation
- 20012130
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 20012130.
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 Veteran's service-connected cervical spine disability is rated at 20 percent, the maximum rating available under the General Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine. The evidence does not support a higher rating as his range of motion did not meet the criteria for an increased rating.
- Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for residuals of prostate cancer due to VA's failure to notify him of his April 17, 2008, elevated PSA test results and its failure to timely diagnose and properly treat his disease.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for further development due to insufficient evidence and need for additional examinations.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for brain cancer, low back disability, and cervical spine disability due to a pre-decisional error in failing to obtain a radiation dose estimate from the Under Secretary for Health. The Veteran's military service aboard USS ENTERPRISE is considered relevant to his exposure to ionizing radiation.
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