The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for PTSD is being remanded as the evidence does not show an increase in disability prior to November 17, 2017.,The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left and right CTS are also being remanded due to lack of relevant VA treatment records and need for further examination.,A compensable rating is also being remanded as the Veteran has not provided a specific claim for this issue.
The deciding factor: There is insufficient evidence to establish an effective date prior to November 17, 2017, for the PTSD rating or CTS claims due to lack of relevant VA treatment records and need for further examination.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Left Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS), Right Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- October 22, 2020
- Citation
- 20068368
Veterans Law Judge
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 20068368.
What this means for you
A remand sends an issue back for more development, often a new examination or missing records. It does not award the benefit or decide the final outcome. The original decision explains the additional work ordered.
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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