The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional examinations and evaluations regarding his service-connected PTSD, TBI residuals, and their impact on his daily life. The effective date of service connection remains unresolved as it was not received within one year after separation from service.
The deciding factor: The claim for an earlier effective date for service connection is denied due to the Veteran's failure to submit a formal claim within one year of receiving notification of his intent to file a claim, which occurred on October 20, 2015. The appeal regarding compensable rating and initial rating for PTSD with alcohol dependency requires further evaluation as the Veteran has not received treatment in over two years.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 7, 2019
- Citation
- 19184720
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 a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD due to an inadequate medical opinion.
- Granted
The Board granted an effective date of February 21, 2007, for the award of service connection for PTSD and major depressive disorder with anxious distress.
- Granted
The Board granted a rating of 70 percent for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI), as the Veteran's symptoms most nearly approximated occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.
- 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.
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