The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for cervical degenerative disc disease and lumbar spondylosis, degenerative changes with disc extrusion and herniation due to a lack of adequate examination.,For all other issues on appeal, the Veteran is entitled to increased ratings.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the previous VA examinations were inadequate for assessing the current severity of the Veteran's cervical spine and back disabilities. Therefore, new examinations are necessary to determine the extent of his service-connected conditions.,For all other issues on appeal, the evidence does not support a higher rating based on the current level of disability.
- Claimed conditions
- Cervical Degenerative Disc Disease, Lumbar Spondylosis, Degenerative Changes with Disc Extrusion and Herniation, Radiculopathy of the Upper Extremities (Right and Left), Radiculopathy of the Lower Extremities (Right and Left)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 29, 2020
- Citation
- 20070203
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 3,217 · Granted: 46% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted 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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 20070203.
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 Veteran's claim for SMC based on aid and attendance is remanded due to incomplete medical records and the need for a detailed examination.
- Granted
The Veteran was granted a Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) effective November 28, 2007. The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unemployable beginning February 8, 2006.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for further action due to incomplete evaluations and lack of consideration of lay assertions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's cervical DDD and left cervical radiculopathy are currently rated at 20% and 30%, respectively, since May 13, 2013. The Board has determined that these ratings do not adequately reflect the severity of his conditions during the appeal period.
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