The Board remands the claim for a neck condition to obtain an adequate medical opinion regarding its etiology, including whether it is related to in-service injury or secondary to service-connected lumbar strain with degenerative disc disease.
The deciding factor: The January 2015 VA medical opinion and October 2020 and May 2023 private medical opinions are found inadequate, and a secondary service connection nexus opinion regarding the Veteran's neck condition has not been obtained.
- Claimed conditions
- cervical neck muscle strain, segmental and somatic dysfunction of cervical region
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 26, 2025
- Citation
- A25055467
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 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.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for myasthenia gravis based on the Veteran's exposure to hazardous substances during his military service.
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