The Board remands the issue of entitlement to service connection for cervical spine degenerative disc disease with intervertebral disc syndrome for further development and readjudication.
The deciding factor: A pre-decisional duty to assist error has occurred as there has not been a VA medical opinion obtained on whether the Veteran's reported neck pain in Afghanistan and Iraq is the same that led to the 2010 formal diagnosis of a neck disability.
- Claimed conditions
- cervical spine degenerative disc disease with intervertebral disc syndrome
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 29, 2024
- Citation
- A24069556
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.
- Denied
The Board denied ratings in excess of the current assigned ratings for cervical and lumbar spine disabilities.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a medical examination to determine if the Veteran's current neck strain is related to his in-service activities.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD due to an inadequate medical opinion.
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This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.