The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is denied as there is no evidence of a current diagnosis.,Service connection for loss of sense of smell is denied due to lack of medical evidence linking the condition to service, including exposure to Project SHAD.,The case for service connection for brain tumor is remanded due to insufficient development regarding potential asbestos exposure during service.,Bilateral SNHL claim is also remanded as there was no examination or opinion provided on the etiology of the hearing loss.
The deciding factor: There is no evidence of a current diagnosis of PTSD, and the Veteran's reported stressor has not been corroborated by medical records.,The Veteran did not provide sufficient evidence to establish exposure to Project SHAD or any other form of hazardous chemical agents during service. There is also insufficient evidence linking his loss of sense of smell to service.,There was no examination or opinion provided regarding the potential asbestos exposure and its relation to the brain tumor, which is a critical piece of information for determining etiology.,The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss claim requires further development as there was no examination or opinion on the etiology of his hearing loss.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Loss of sense of smell, Brain tumor, Bilateral Sensorineural Hearing Loss (SNHL)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 21, 2020
- Citation
- A20009171
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 A20009171.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is granted as the evidence shows a current diagnosis of PTSD, an in-service stressor, and a medical link between the two.
- Denied
The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 50% since March 23, 2004. The Board found that a higher rating is not warranted prior to February 15, 2005 due to the severity of his symptoms and their impact on his social and occupational functioning.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and any acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between his current mental health conditions and his military service.
- Granted
The Veteran's PTSD resulted in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity, warranting a 70% disability rating. The Veteran also met the criteria for a TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.
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