The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for cervical degenerative disease and entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to new evidence and possible worsening of his condition.
The deciding factor: The Board found that additional examination is required to assess the current state of the Veteran’s cervical spine disability, as well as obtain updated VA treatment records related to this claim.
- Claimed conditions
- cervical degenerative disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 12, 2021
- Citation
- 21001885
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 21001885.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's appeal for a higher disability rating for several conditions, finding no clear and unmistakable error in the original 2012 rating decision.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for cervical degenerative disease with left radiculopathy (claimed as neck herniated disc C5-C6) and back herniated disc L4-L5 and degenerative disc L5-S1.,Both conditions are found to be related to the Veteran's in-service experiences, including heavy lifting and body strength workouts.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient examination reports regarding the Veteran's service-connected disabilities and their impact on his daily functioning. The Veteran needs an addendum opinion from a physician to determine if he is substantially confined or requires regular aid and attendance.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for SMC based on regular need for aid and attendance is remanded due to the lack of adequate contemporaneous medical examinations. The Board finds that new VA examinations are needed to assess the current state of his service-connected disabilities and their impact on his ability to perform activities of daily living.
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