The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining private medical records and scheduling a VA examination. The issues are whether he should receive an increased disability rating for PTSD with depressive disorder and polysubstance dependence, and whether his abdominal and splenic disability, status post splenectomy, is related to service or exposure to Agent Orange.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's claims require additional development due to the need for private medical records and a VA examination to determine the etiology of his abdominal and splenic disability.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder with Depressive Disorder, Polysubstance Dependence
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 29, 2016
- Citation
- 1633966
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 1633966.
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 Veteran's PTSD with depressive disorder is rated at 70 percent from May 29, 2018 forward.,An earlier effective date of June 5, 2017 for the increased rating of 70 percent for PTSD with depressive disorder has been granted.,The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have resulted in individual unemployability and a TDIU has been granted.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include major depressive disorder and polysubstance dependence, as well as hypertension. The claims for peripheral neuropathy were remanded.
- Denied
The Board denied an initial evaluation in excess of 70 percent for PTSD with depressive disorder, an evaluation in excess of 20 percent for right ankle fracture residuals, and a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).
- Partly granted
The Board granted a disability rating of 70 percent for PTSD and denied a separate compensable rating for radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, as well as a TDIU based on service-connected PTSD.
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