The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including a new VA examination to assess the severity of her PTSD and substance abuse disorders, as well as clarification on her employment status. The issues include seeking higher ratings for PTSD, determining if her substance abuse disorder is secondary to PTSD, and evaluating her eligibility for TDIU.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's symptoms have worsened and she has been admitted to a residential treatment program, necessitating further examination to determine the current severity of her conditions. Additionally, clarification on her employment status is needed as it impacts her TDIU claim.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Major depressive disorder, Alcohol use disorder, Cannabis use disorder
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- October 31, 2018
- Citation
- 18146518
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 18146518.
What this means for you
A remand sends an issue back for more development, often a new examination or missing records. It does not award the benefit or decide the final outcome. The original decision explains the additional work ordered.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is granted as the evidence shows a current diagnosis of PTSD, an in-service stressor, and a medical link between the two.
- Denied
The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 50% since March 23, 2004. The Board found that a higher rating is not warranted prior to February 15, 2005 due to the severity of his symptoms and their impact on his social and occupational functioning.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and any acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between his current mental health conditions and his military service.
- Granted
The Veteran's PTSD resulted in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity, warranting a 70% disability rating. The Veteran also met the criteria for a TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.
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