The Board remands the matter of entitlement to service connection for cervical spine intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS) due to an inadequate VA examination and the need for a new addendum opinion.
The deciding factor: The November 2016 and December 2019 VA opinions were found inadequate as they did not address the Veteran's contentions regarding left shoulder and back injuries during service, nor did they provide an opinion on whether the claimed neck pain is a sign or symptom of an undiagnosed illness or medically unexplained chronic multi-symptom illness.
- Claimed conditions
- cervical spine intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS), spinal stenosis of the cervical spine, cervical strain, cervical spondylosis
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- Gulf War
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 11, 2024
- Citation
- A24065427
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 higher ratings for the Veteran's service-connected carpal tunnel syndrome and cubital tunnel syndrome of both upper extremities, but remanded claims for service connection for sinusitis, calcified lymph nodes on the lungs, and cervical strain.
- Dismissed
The appeals for restoration of ratings and for a higher disability rating were dismissed as the April 2025 rating decision did not make final decisions on these issues.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for service connection for cervical strain, left upper extremity radiculopathy, and right upper extremity radiculopathy. The claim for an earlier effective date for a left shoulder disability was dismissed.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for a left hip condition, right hip condition, cervical strain, and back condition due to an incomplete duty to assist error in failing to afford the Veteran VA examinations.
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