The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for cervical spine, right upper extremity radiculopathy, and lumbar sprain are being remanded due to inadequate examination reports.
The deciding factor: The examination reports contain inconsistencies regarding the severity of the Veteran's conditions and the presence of unfavorable ankylosis. The Board finds that further examinations are necessary to provide accurate assessments.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative disc disease of cervical spine, Right upper extremity radiculopathy associated with degenerative disc disease of cervical spine, Lumbar sprain
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 18, 2020
- Citation
- 20012784
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 20012784.
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 Veteran's claims for service connection due to a duty to assist error, and will require VA medical examinations to assess the nature and etiology of his back condition, neck condition, and psychiatric disorder.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for increased disability ratings for service-connected cervical spine conditions and lumbar sprain are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and translation of records.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for cervical spine and left hip disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations to assess current disability levels.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for higher evaluations and service connection. Specifically, VA treatment records are missing, and a new examination is required to assess the current symptomatology of his service-connected disabilities.
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