The Board has determined that the remand instructions have not been completed as directed and another remand is necessary to obtain addendum opinions regarding the Veteran's cervical spine conditions.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner did not individually discuss the diagnoses rendered at the February 2020 VA examination, nor address the Veteran's belief about his neck pain during service and subsequent spinal procedures.
- Claimed conditions
- Cervical myelopathy secondary to acquired spinal stenosis, status post C3-4 cervical laminectomies, Degenerative disc disease (DDD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 26, 2022
- Citation
- 22054899
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 22054899.
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 lumbar spine disability and other disabilities have been granted, including a TDIU based on his inability to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to these conditions.
- Granted
The Veteran's lumbar disorder, diagnosed as DDD and a lumbosacral strain, has been granted service connection. The Board found that the disability is related to his military service.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for thoracolumbar spine degenerative arthritis and DDD was granted effective August 29, 2022. Service connection was established for vitreous syneresis / vitreous floaters of both eyes. The claims for service connection for refractive error of both eyes (myopia and astigmatism), bilateral hearing loss disability, residuals of a traumatic brain injury (TBI), obstructive sleep apnea, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD) were all denied.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including degenerative disc disease and lower extremity radiculopathy, rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation from August 1, 2013 to November 23, 2014. The Board granted TDIU for this period.
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