The Veteran's cervicothoracic dysfunction prior to March 28, 2017 is rated at 20 percent and the appeal for a higher rating is denied.,The Veteran's chronic headaches are currently rated as non-compensable (0%) and the appeal for a compensable rating is granted.,The Veteran's facial dyschromia is rated as moderate incomplete paralysis and the appeal for a higher rating is remanded.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found that the Veteran’s cervical spine had limited forward flexion to 45 degrees, with functional limitation due to pain and muscle spasm severe enough to result in reverse lordosis. The current disability rating of 20 percent for cervicothoracic dysfunction is based on this finding.
- Claimed conditions
- Cervicothoracic dysfunction, Chronic headaches, Facial dyschromia (also claimed as facial numbness)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- October 27, 2020
- Citation
- 20069638
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,454 · Granted: 23% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 20069638.
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: Granted
The Veteran's PTSD is granted a rating of 70 percent, but no higher. The other conditions are remanded for further review.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for cervical spine disability was denied, as the evidence did not show ankylosis or forward flexion to 15 degrees or less.,The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for chronic headaches was granted with a 50% rating.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for chronic headaches, CFS, dermatosis, bilateral RLS, a lumbar spine disability, and sleep apnea but denied a compensable evaluation for allergic rhinitis.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Board denied an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and remanded the claims for service connection for chronic headaches and obstructive sleep apnea.
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