Citation Nr: 21067794 Decision Date: 11/05/21 Archive Date: 11/05/21 DOCKET NO. 21-00 297 DATE: November 5, 2021 REMANDED Entitlement to service connection for a neck condition to include as secondary to the left-hand injury is remanded. Entitlement to service connection for a back condition to include as secondary to the left-hand injury is remanded. REASONS FOR REMAND The Veteran served honorably in the United States Air Force from September 1963 to October 1967. These matters come before the Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board) on appeal from an August 2015 rating decision from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO). The Veteran testified at a hearing before the undersigned in October 2021. In January 2021, the Board remanded the issues for issuance of a statement of the case. 1. Entitlement to service connection for a neck condition to include as secondary to the left-hand injury is remanded. 2. Entitlement to service connection for a back condition to include as secondary to the left-hand injury is remanded. Due to the similar nature of the claims, they will be discussed together herein. The Veteran testified before the undersigned at the October 2021 Board hearing that he experienced increased back and neck pain as a result of having to use his right hand to carry everything. He stated that the strain of using only his right hand to do all activities, to include carrying children, has resulted in back and neck conditions. As the Veteran has not been afforded VA examinations on these matters, the Board finds VA examinations are warranted to consider the relationship between the Veteran's service, his service-connected disabilities, and any current impairments of the neck and back. The matters are REMANDED for the following actions: 1. Schedule the Veteran for examinations pertaining to the claimed neck and back conditions. The entire claims file must be made available to the designated examiner, including this remand. All indicated tests and studies should be accomplished, and all clinical findings should be reported in detail. Following the review of the claims file and examination of the Veteran, the examiner is then requested to respond to the following: (a.) The examiner should identify whether the Veteran has an impairment of the neck and/or back. The examiner should note that pain is an impairment because it diminishes the body's ability to function, and that pain need not be diagnosed as connected to a current underlying condition to function as an impairment. (b.) Is it at least as likely as not (i.e., a likelihood of 50 percent or more) that any impairments of the neck or back are due to active service? (c.) If the examiner finds that the Veteran's impairments of the neck or back were not incurred in service, the examiner must opine whether the Veteran's conditions of the neck or back are due to or aggravated by his service-connected impairments of the left hand, fingers, and shoulder. Note that rationale is required for both causation and aggravation. **In providing the requested opinion, the examiner is asked to provide written consideration of the Veteran's lay statements that his service-connected left finger, hand, and shoulder injuries have caused impairments in his neck and back as a result of having to perform all activities on his right side, including heavy lifting. (Continued on the next page) If an opinion cannot be expressed without resort to speculation, discuss why such is the case. In this regard, indicate whether the inability to provide a definitive opinion is due to a need for further information or because the limits of medical knowledge have been exhausted regarding the etiology of the disability at issue or because of some other reason. A. S. CARACCIOLO Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans' Appeals Attorney for the Board Laura C. Owens The Board's decision in this case is binding only with respect to the instant matter decided. This decision is not precedential and does not establish VA policies or interpretations of general applicability. 38 C.F.R. § 20.1303.