The Board has reopened the service connection claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder and left ear hearing loss. The case is remanded to determine if there are any new or material pieces of evidence that can support these claims, as well as to address the issue of special monthly compensation based on need of regular aid and attendance due to potential psychiatric symptoms.
The deciding factor: The reopened service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder was supported by a new opinion from the Veteran's treating physician suggesting his lifelong anxiety and depression were manifestations of PTSD. The case is remanded to determine if there are any additional pieces of evidence that can support these claims, as well as to address the issue of special monthly compensation based on need of regular aid and attendance due to potential psychiatric symptoms.
- Claimed conditions
- acquired psychiatric disorder
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 19, 2019
- Citation
- 19186731
Veterans Law Judge
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 19186731.
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 has remanded the case for additional development regarding the Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD.
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The Veteran's claims for service connection on the merits are being remanded due to new evidence and development needs. The maximum disability rating for tinnitus has already been assigned.
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The Board has remanded the claims of entitlement to service connection for headaches, right hip disorder, left hip disorder, back disorder, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to a failure to provide notice regarding the Veteran's right to a hearing.
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The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for an addendum opinion regarding the nature and etiology of his unspecified neurocognitive disorder, which was diagnosed after a September 2021 heart surgery. The issues are about service connection on the merits.
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