The Board remands the issue of entitlement to an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for cervical strain due to an inadequate VA examination.
The deciding factor: The October 2023 VA examination is found to be inadequate for rating purposes as it reported forward flexion to 140 degrees, which appears to be improbably greater than normal. A remand is necessary to secure an adequate medical examination prior to adjudicating the Veteran's claim.
- Claimed conditions
- cervical strain (claimed as neck condition)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- April 18, 2025
- Citation
- A25035842
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,188 · Granted: 23% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation A25035842.
What this means for you
A remand sends an issue back for more development, often a new examination or missing records. It does not award the benefit or decide the final outcome. The original decision explains the additional work ordered.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for higher initial ratings and a compensable rating for various service-connected conditions, as well as remanded the claim for TDIU.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for chest scars and headaches, but denied service connection for tinnitus, PTSD to include depression and anxiety condition, left shin splints, right shin splints, left shoulder strain, right shoulder disability, bilateral foot condition, right knee strain, left knee strain, lumbar strain, and cervical strain.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for cervical strain, nerve damage in the right foot, and erectile dysfunction to obtain additional evidence and medical opinions.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board granted an effective date of August 31, 2022, for the award of service connection for multiple conditions including adjustment disorder with anxiety and depressed mood, chronic (claimed as depression), deviated septum with rhinitis, vertigo, sleep apnea, cervical strain (claimed as neck condition), left and right upper extremity radiculopathy, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
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