The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an initial rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD and a TDIU due to service-connected disabilities. The AOJ is instructed to arrange for VA examinations to assess the current severity of the Veteran’s PTSD, type II diabetes mellitus, and bilateral hearing loss, as well as verify his employment history.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the evidence was insufficient to determine whether a higher disability rating was warranted for PTSD and did not adequately consider some symptoms such as anger and irritability issues. The AOJ is instructed to arrange for VA examinations to assess the current severity of these conditions and their effects on the Veteran's occupational function.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Type II Diabetes Mellitus, Bilateral Sensorineural Hearing Loss, Tinnitus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 24, 2020
- Citation
- 20075122
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,776 · Granted: 24% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 20075122.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.
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