The Board has remanded the case for further development regarding the Veteran's claims for an increased evaluation for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine and service connection for a left shoulder disability.
The deciding factor: The decision was based on inadequate examinations, particularly concerning functional loss during flare-ups and the relationship between the Veteran’s service-connected cervical spine disorder and his claimed left shoulder pain.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative disc disease, lumbar spine, Left shoulder disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 27, 2020
- Citation
- 20069435
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 is remanding the claims for service connection due to a regulatory duty to assist error.
- Denied
The appeal for an increased rating for left hip, the claims for entitlement to an earlier effective date and an increased rating for right knee strain, and the appeal for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for left shoulder strain were dismissed. The claim for a 40 percent rating from June 24, 2021 for degenerative disc disease was granted.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a lumbar spine disability as secondary to a cervical spine disability due to an inadequate medical opinion.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the issues of entitlement to service connection for a seizure disorder, right shoulder disorder, and left shoulder disorder as additional evidence is needed.
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This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.