The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of a VA opinion regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected PTSD caused or aggravated his alcohol abuse, which in turn contributed to his death. The examiner is requested to provide opinions on these issues.
The deciding factor: The decision was remanded because there is insufficient evidence regarding the relationship between the Veteran’s service-connected PTSD and his death due to alcohol abuse.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with panic attacks, multi-system organ failure
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 21, 2020
- Citation
- 20035589
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 20035589.
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 Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional VA treatment records and further development of her claim. The matter will be returned to the AOJ for initial consideration.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that his death was not caused or contributed to by any condition related to his military service, including exposure to herbicide agents.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a lack of medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's death is related to his military service, including exposure to herbicide agents and/or his service-connected coronary artery disease.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to renal failure and hyperkalemia, attributing it to post-operative coronary bypass and aneurysm repair. The claim was not reopened as new and material evidence did not relate the death to any disease or injury in service.
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