The Board has granted service connection for PTSD and remanded the remaining issues including right and left elbow disabilities, lumbar and cervical spine disabilities, GERD with hiatal hernia, and sinusitis. The TDIU claim is also remanded.
The deciding factor: The decision was based on the Veteran's in-service experiences as a rescue swimmer which led to PTSD. Right and left elbow disabilities are related to service due to documented injuries during rescue swims. Lumbar, cervical spine, GERD with hiatal hernia, and sinusitis issues require further examination for current severity.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Right Elbow Degenerative Joint Disease, Left Elbow Degenerative Joint Disease, Lumbar Spine Disability, Cervical Spine Disability, Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) with Hiatal Hernia, Sinusitis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 13, 2020
- Citation
- 20002673
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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