The Veteran's PTSD rating is remanded for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his condition. Service connection claims for left shoulder DJD and lower back pain are also remanded due to outstanding treatment records and need for medical opinions on etiology.
The deciding factor: The decision requires additional evidence and evaluations as there are outstanding private treatment records and unresolved issues regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's disabilities, including PTSD, left shoulder DJD, and lower back pain.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) with unspecified depressive disorder, Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD) of the left shoulder, Lower back pain
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 27, 2022
- Citation
- 22031451
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 22031451.
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 PTSD with unspecified depressive disorder is rated at 50 percent, and the Board has remanded for further development to determine if a higher rating is warranted.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for PTSD with unspecified depressive disorder was granted, and he is now eligible for a 70% rating effective July 12, 2024. His Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits were also granted as of that date.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to May 22, 2024, for the grant of service connection for PTSD with unspecified depressive disorder is denied.,The Veteran's claims for higher ratings and earlier effective dates related to his bilateral hip disabilities are remanded for further development.
- Granted
The Veteran's PTSD with unspecified depressive disorder is rated at 70 percent, effective January 8, 2020. The Board found that the Veteran experienced occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas due to symptoms such as suicidal ideation, unprovoked anger and irritability, hypervigilance, extreme avoidant behavior, strained relationships, and memory loss.
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