The Board has remanded the DIC claim and the service connection for cause of death due to lack of evidence regarding the Veteran's total disability rating prior to his death, clarification needed on death certificates, and clarification needed on CAD ratings.
The deciding factor: The legal criteria for benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1318 have not been met as the Veteran was not rated totally disabled for a period of 10 or more years prior to his death.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Diabetes Mellitus, Peripheral Neuropathy of the Right Leg, Peripheral Neuropathy of the Left Leg, Peripheral Neuropathy of the Right Arm, Peripheral Neuropathy of the Left Arm, Coronary Artery Disease (CAD), Erectile Dysfunction
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 6, 2019
- Citation
- 19192030
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 19192030.
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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