The Veteran's low back condition is rated at 40 percent, but the Board finds that ankylosis does not apply due to maintained range of motion. The cervical spine disorder and bilateral hand neurological disorder are remanded for further examination.,Service connection for a disability manifested by muscle and joint pain other fibromyalgia as due to environmental hazard exposure during Gulf War service is also remanded.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's low back condition does not meet the criteria for ankylosis, which would allow for a higher rating. The cervical spine disorder and bilateral hand neurological disorder are related to Gulf War service but require further examination to determine their etiology.,Service connection is remanded as the disabilities in question have not been definitively linked to Gulf War exposure without additional medical evaluation.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Joint Disease with Low Back Pain (Low Back Condition), Cervical Spine Disorder, Bilateral Hand Neurological Disorder, including Bilateral CTS (CTS stands for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome), Muscle and Joint Pain Other Fibromyalgia
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- Gulf War
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 4, 2020
- Citation
- 20077109
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 20077109.
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.
- Dismissed
The appeal for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is dismissed as the Veteran was granted service connection effective from the date of his claim.,Service connection for bilateral tinnitus is denied.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, left shoulder disorders, right shoulder disorder, cervical spine disorder, left ankle disorder, allergic rhinitis, and bilateral knee disorders, prevented him from securing or following substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and work history. The Board granted the TDIU claim based on these conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequate medical opinions provided in his VA examinations. The claims include tension headaches, a psychiatric disability (diagnosed as generalized anxiety disorder), a cervical spine disorder, hand tremors, a lumbosacral spine disorder, a gastrointestinal disorder, and residuals of a hydrocele.
- Dismissed
The appeal for PTSD is dismissed. The cervical spine and left middle finger disorders are remanded.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.