The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are being remanded due to the need for additional medical records and a new examination.
The deciding factor: The decision is based on the need for updated VA treatment records and a comprehensive physical examination, as current evidence may not fully reflect the extent of the Veteran's disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), major depressive disorder, single episode, in partial remission, lumbago with L4-L5 disc protrusion and disc degeneration with slight compression of thecal sac, left lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve, right lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 29, 2019
- Citation
- 19182021
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.
- Partly granted
The Veteran was granted a 70 percent initial disability rating for PTSD effective December 2, 2021, but the claim for an increased rating in excess of 70 percent was denied. The appeal also included claims for service connection and ratings for various conditions, some of which were granted while others were remanded.
- Dismissed
The claim for an earlier effective date for service connection for major depressive disorder is dismissed as moot because the earliest effective date was granted during the pendency of this appeal.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew the appeals for service connection for bilateral pes planus, obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
- Granted
The Board granted an effective date of October 17, 2022, for the grant of service connection for PTSD.
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This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.