The Board has remanded the claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, depression, anxiety, alcohol use disorder, and other stimulant disorder due to a failure to provide a medical examination in furtherance of the Veteran's claim. The Veteran reported experiencing a traumatic event during basic training that resulted in the death of a fellow recruit, which he believes contributed to his current mental health conditions.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there was insufficient competent medical evidence to determine whether the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders were incurred by or associated with his military service. Specifically, the Veteran did not have a VA examination for mental disorders.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Depression, Anxiety, Alcohol Use Disorder, Other Stimulant Disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- July 24, 2024
- Citation
- A24040374
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 A24040374.
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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