The Veteran's death was not caused by or contributed to by his service-connected PTSD, but the Board is unable to make a determination due to insufficient medical evidence.,If the VA examiner finds that PTSD aggravated coronary artery disease and led to hypertension and heart conditions resulting in death, they must provide an opinion on whether there is medical evidence prior to aggravation or at any time between the time of aggravation and the level of disability.
The deciding factor: The Board requires a VA medical opinion to determine if PTSD aggravated coronary artery disease and caused hypertension and heart conditions that led to death.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Bilateral Hearing Loss, Tinnitus, Hypertension, Coronary Artery Disease, Pulmonary Carcinoma
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 14, 2020
- Citation
- 20003141
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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