The Board has determined that additional development is required before the claim for service connection for PTSD can be adjudicated. The veteran claims PTSD due to combat-related incidents and a sexual assault in Vietnam, but his service records do not indicate he engaged in combat with the enemy. A VA psychiatric examination will be conducted to determine if there are verified stressors related to PTSD and whether any sexual assault occurred during service.
The deciding factor: The Board found that additional development is required due to the lack of evidence indicating the veteran engaged in combat, which would allow his lay testimony about stressors to be accepted as conclusive. The case was remanded for further examination and consideration of the claim based on personal assault.
- Claimed conditions
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 6, 2004
- Citation
- 0408879
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 0408879.
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.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's PTSD was granted a 70 percent rating prior to March 7, 2022, while other claims were denied.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD and GAD, as well as tinnitus.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disability, to include PTSD, as it needs a medical opinion addressing the nature and etiology of the condition prior to October 16, 2023.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for regular aid and attendance due to his service-connected disabilities.
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