The Board has remanded the claims for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for service-connected degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine and a compensable initial rating for service-connected residuals of traumatic brain injury due to the need for additional medical opinions.,The appellant's subjective symptoms, including loss of sensation in the left hand, were not adequately addressed by the December 2020 VA examination. The Board also found that an addendum opinion is necessary regarding whether the appellant's reported decreased sensation in his left hand is related to his service-connected cervical spine disability.
The deciding factor: The claims are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions to address the adequacy of previous examinations and to clarify the relationship between the appellant's subjective symptoms and his service-connected disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine, Residuals of traumatic brain injury (TBI)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 1, 2021
- Citation
- 21071778
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 21071778.
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an initial disability rating of 30 percent for degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine but denied a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).
- Partly granted
The Veteran's cervical spine disability is granted a 30 percent rating, while the lumbar and lower extremity radiculopathy claims are denied. An earlier effective date for right lower extremity radiculopathy was granted, and TDIU based on single service-connected disability is remanded.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for higher initial disability ratings for PTSD, TBI, and left ulnar nerve damage due to a duty-to-assist error in not obtaining service treatment records and VA examinations.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine and entitlement to total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.
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