The Veteran's cervical spine disorder is denied as it did not pre-exist his military service and was not aggravated by service.,Service connection for right upper extremity cervical radiculopathy/carpal tunnel syndrome, left upper extremity cervical radiculopathy/carpal tunnel syndrome, and gastrointestinal disorder (GERD) are remanded due to the need for additional medical clarification.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's cervical spine disorder was not incurred or aggravated during his military service as there is clear and unmistakable evidence that it pre-existed his periods of active duty.,Service connection cannot be granted for GERD as the Veteran did not have a current diagnosis at the time of the August 2019 VA examination. The issue remains remanded to obtain clarification on whether he has a current diagnosis of BUE numbness, including carpal tunnel syndrome.
- Claimed conditions
- Cervical spine disorder (cervical degenerative disc disease with stenosis), Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 29, 2024
- Citation
- A24015270
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 A24015270.
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 Veteran's appeal for service connection for Dupuytren's contracture of the left hand, right hand, and GERD is remanded due to inadequate VA examination opinions and failure to consider toxic exposure risk activities during service.
- Denied
The Veteran's GERD is currently rated at 10 percent disabling, but the Board found that his symptoms do not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), finding that both conditions are secondary to the Veteran's service-connected lower back condition and sinusitis, respectively.
- Denied
The Board has denied service connection for bladder cancer, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) as there is no evidence to support a link between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.
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