The Veteran's claim for left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy is denied as there is no evidence of a current diagnosis.,The Veteran's claims for cervical condition and lower back condition are remanded due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.,The Veteran's claim for degenerative disc disease other than IVDS of the lumbar spine is remanded due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of this condition.
The deciding factor: There is no current diagnosis of left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy. The VA examination did not find any symptoms related to a left upper extremity peripheral nerve condition.,The VA examiner's opinion was based on an inaccurate factual premise that the Veteran has not been diagnosed with a neck condition, and thus it is inadequate. Additionally, there are insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of the cervical condition and lower back condition.,There is no current diagnosis of degenerative disc disease other than IVDS of the lumbar spine. The VA examiner's opinion was based solely on the absence of evidence in the Veteran's medical records during and after service.
- Claimed conditions
- left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, cervical condition (including degenerative disc disease other than IVDS of the cervical spine and osteoarthritis), degenerative disc disease other than IVDS of the lumbar spine (lower back condition), right upper extremity radiculopathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 3, 2026
- Citation
- A26009693
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 A26009693.
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 Board has granted service connection for cervical spine degenerative arthritis. The claims for back pain and right upper extremity radiculopathy are remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's TDIU and DEA claims are remanded due to insufficient evidence for a schedular rating, and the issues are inextricably intertwined.
- Granted
The Veteran's Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) based on the need for regular Aid and Attendance is granted as of April 25, 2024.,For diabetes mellitus, a rating in excess of 20 percent is denied.
- Dismissed
The appeal seeking to establish entitlement to special monthly compensation (SMC) is dismissed because the AOJ decision was merely implementing a Board's earlier effective date decision for service connection.
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