The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of VA examination in connection with the Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder. The Veteran asserts that his PTSD, MDD, GAD, and somatoform disorder are related to missing a SOS signal during service. The Board finds a VA examination is necessary to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran’s acquired psychiatric disorders.
The deciding factor: The Board found insufficient evidence regarding the relationship between the Veteran's current psychiatric disabilities and his military service due to lack of a VA examination.
- Claimed conditions
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), General Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Somatoform Disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 10, 2019
- Citation
- 19192576
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 19192576.
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 acquired psychiatric disorder, to include MDD, as secondary to service-connected disabilities due to a duty to assist error.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including GAD, MDD, PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and foot disabilities. The claim for NSC pension benefits was dismissed as moot due to a higher disability rating.
- Granted
The Board granted an effective date of June 21, 2024, for the award of service connection for major depressive disorder (MDD).
- 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.
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