The appeal for service connection of cervical IVDS is remanded. The Board found that the VA did not provide an adequate medical examination and opinion.
The deciding factor: The Board must remand a claim to correct an error by the AOJ to satisfy its duty to assist the Veteran under 38 U.S.C. § 5103A if the error occurred prior to the AOJ decision on appeal.
- Claimed conditions
- cervical intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 28, 2025
- Citation
- A25007608
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,081 · Granted: 38% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted 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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation A25007608.
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 asthma symptoms are most approximate to her current 30 percent disability rating, and the appeal for a higher rating is denied. The Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of bronchitis or service connection for cervical spine disabilities.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as secondary to his service-connected bilateral hearing loss. The rating for cervical intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS) and the service connection for sleep apnea are both remanded due to missing medical records.
- Denied
The Board has determined that the Veteran's current neck disorder and sleep apnea are not related to his active duty service, and therefore, he is not entitled to service connection for these conditions.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.