The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for cervical strain and lumbosacral strain due to inadequate examination findings, including lack of information on flare-ups. Updated VA treatment records are needed, and a new VA examination is required.
The deciding factor: The examination did not provide sufficient detail regarding the severity and frequency of flare-ups, which could affect the rating assigned for the Veteran's service-connected cervical strain and lumbosacral strain disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- cervical strain, lumbosacral strain
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 15, 2020
- Citation
- 20066811
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.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for lumbosacral strain, finding that the Veteran's low back injury occurred during a period of active duty for training (ADT) and continued therefrom.
- Partly granted
The Board granted higher ratings for the Veteran's service-connected carpal tunnel syndrome and cubital tunnel syndrome of both upper extremities, but remanded claims for service connection for sinusitis, calcified lymph nodes on the lungs, and cervical strain.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 20 percent rating for right leg sciatica with radiculopathy pain and paresthesia, but denied increased ratings for PTSD, lumbosacral strain, left wrist limitation of motion with ganglion cyst, and service connection for headaches, unspecified. Several issues were remanded.
- Dismissed
The appeals for restoration of ratings and for a higher disability rating were dismissed as the April 2025 rating decision did not make final decisions on these issues.
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