The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar spine, cervical spine, left shoulder and residuals of a head injury disabilities. However, due to incomplete records from his in-service period, a remand is necessary to obtain VA examinations to determine the etiology of these disabilities.
The deciding factor: Incomplete medical records from the Veteran's in-service period prevent a determination on the etiology of his current disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar spine, cervical spine, left shoulder, residuals of a head injury
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 27, 2023
- Citation
- 23067748
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 23067748.
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 is granted an effective date of December 10, 2015 for total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) and basic eligibility to Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA). The decision also grants earlier effective dates for these benefits.
- Dismissed
The appeal for neck pain pinched nerve severe arthritis cervical spine is dismissed as a matter of law. Service connection and increased ratings are granted for major depression, mental disorder anxiety and PTSD, carpal tunnel syndrome (both wrists), and migraine including migraine variants.
- Dismissed
The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection for rhinitis, dizziness, leg muscle pain, asthma, cervical strain as secondary to a low back condition, and left shoulder due to the appellant's withdrawal of these appeals.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals for higher disability ratings and service connection were withdrawn, and the appeal concerning a deferred evaluation for left ear hearing loss was dismissed due to a claims-processing error.
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