The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for neck and left shoulder conditions secondary to a gunshot wound, as well as TDIU. The neck scar is currently rated 10% prior to July 8, 2019, and no higher.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's neck scar was found to be painful after the July 2019 examination, warranting a 10% rating under Diagnostic Code 7804. The left shoulder and neck disabilities require further development as they are not yet fully addressed in the record.
- Claimed conditions
- neck scar, trapezius muscle injury
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 2, 2021
- Citation
- 21005837
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 21005837.
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 has decided to remand the case due to conflicting evidence regarding the severity of the Veteran's neck scar, and a new examination is needed.
- Granted
The Veteran's combined disability rating was 100% from February 6, 2006. The Veteran died in February 2020 and had been receiving a total disability rating for at least 10 years immediately preceding his death. Therefore, DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1318 are granted.
- Denied
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for various radiculopathy conditions and a neck scar have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support higher ratings based on the current symptoms.
- Denied
The Board denied a higher disability rating for the Veteran's service-connected neck scar, granting only a separate non-compensable rating under Diagnostic Code 7800.
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