The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and other related conditions, is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination using DSM-5 criteria. The current examination under DSM-IV was inadequate.
The deciding factor: The previous examination did not consider all diagnosed conditions or assess their relationship to service.
- Claimed conditions
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Unspecified Trauma, Stress-Related Disorder, Adjustment Disorder with Anxiety
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 1, 2019
- Citation
- 19124374
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.
- 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.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's adjustment disorder with anxiety was granted a 70 percent evaluation since March 6, 2023, but the claim for an increased evaluation in excess of 30 percent prior to that date was denied.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for regular aid and attendance due to his service-connected disabilities.
- Partly granted
The Veteran is granted special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for regular aid and attendance of another since September 30, 2020.
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