The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to determine the nature and etiology of various disabilities, including PTSD, right hand/wrist disability, lumbar spine condition, left knee disability, right knee disability, left foot disability, right foot disability, bilateral hearing loss disability, tinnitus, and pseudofolliculitis barbae. The Board has also determined that verification of the Veteran's in-service stressors is needed.
The deciding factor: The Board found that additional evidence was needed to determine the nature and etiology of various disabilities due to incomplete STRs, unclear examiner opinions, and unverified in-service stressors.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Right Hand/Wrist Disability, Lumbar Spine Condition, Left Knee Disability, Right Knee Disability, Left Foot Disability, Right Foot Disability, Bilateral Hearing Loss Disability, Tinnitus, Pseudofolliculitis Barbae
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 26, 2018
- Citation
- 18145366
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 18145366.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied an initial disability rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD, finding the appellant's symptoms did not more closely approximate occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD due to an inadequate medical opinion.
- Granted
The Board granted a disability rating of 70 percent for PTSD and a total disability rating due to individual unemployability (TDIU) based on the Veteran's service-connected disabilities.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, left knee disability, and right knee disability. The claims for urinary frequency disability and residuals of a cholecystectomy were denied.
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