The Veteran's chest pains due to undiagnosed illness are currently rated at 10 percent, which is the maximum schedular rating. The Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted as his symptoms do not meet the criteria for a more severe disability.,The Veteran's low back pain with mild disc bulge L4-5 and cervical spine disabilities have been remanded due to inadequate examination findings regarding range of motion, ankylosis, and intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS).
The deciding factor: The examinations did not provide sufficient information on the Veteran's functional loss and pain during range of motion testing, which is essential for determining appropriate disability ratings.
- Claimed conditions
- Chest Pains Due to Undiagnosed Illness, Low Back Pain with Mild Disc Bulge L4-5, Residuals of Injury to the Cervical Spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 6, 2021
- Citation
- 21061995
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,549 · Granted: 29% (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 21061995.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities meet the schedular criteria for a TDIU throughout the entire period on appeal.
- Denied
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- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected coronary artery disease, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his condition.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected musculoligamentous strain, right knee, is currently rated at 10 percent and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.
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