The Veteran seeks service connection for a psychiatric disorder, specifically posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which he claims is related to witnessing the death of his friend during an explosion aboard USS AMERICA. The VA has not verified this alleged stressor event and the Veteran's depression and PTSD symptoms are already on record. A remand is ordered to attempt verification of the stressor, obtain additional treatment records, and provide a VA examination to determine if any diagnosed psychiatric disorder is related to service.
The deciding factor: The claim requires further investigation into the alleged stressor event aboard USS AMERICA and verification of the Veteran's PTSD diagnosis.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 7, 2016
- Citation
- 1640178
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 1640178.
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
Service connection for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is granted. The appeal as to the issue of entitlement to service connection for erectile dysfunction is dismissed.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for PTSD with alcohol use disorder was denied, and he was granted a TDIU. The Board found that the symptoms did not meet criteria for a 100% disability rating.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Major Depressive Disorder with Insomnia Disorder, was granted. The effective date is set at October 25, 2022.
- Granted
The Veteran's PTSD has been granted a 70% rating effective March 25, 2024. The Board found that the increase in severity of his disability warranted this rating.
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