The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for lower back/spine and neck disabilities due to a lack of complete records, particularly those from February 1978 related to an in-service motor vehicle accident. The VA will attempt to locate these records and provide a medical opinion on their likely etiology.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran's claims are remanded because there is uncertainty about the extent of his service-connected injuries, particularly from a 1978 MVA, due to missing records.
- Claimed conditions
- lower back/spine disability, neck condition
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- April 28, 2020
- Citation
- 20029748
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 20029748.
What this means for you
A remand sends an issue back for more development, often a new examination or missing records. It does not award the benefit or decide the final outcome. The original decision explains the additional work ordered.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied readjudication of the previously denied claims for service connection for migraines and a neck condition because new evidence submitted after the November 2018 rating decision was not relevant to proving or disproving the Veteran's claim.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has granted service connection for a neck condition and a low back condition, finding that the Veteran's current diagnoses are related to his military service.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for neck and back conditions due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has found that a remand is necessary to correct a pre-decisional duty to assist error prior to the October 2023 rating decision on appeal, and will readjudicate the claim after providing notice.
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