The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is denied as there is no current diagnosis of a mental disorder.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a respiratory condition due to burn pit exposure is remanded. The VA examiner must provide an opinion on the relationship between the claimed respiratory condition and service.
The deciding factor: Without competent evidence of a current disability, service connection cannot be granted.,VA regulations require that a medical examination and opinion be provided when there exists evidence of a disability and evidence of participation in a TERA. The VA examiner's opinions are inadequate as they failed to consider relevant medical evidence.
- Claimed conditions
- Acquired psychiatric disorder (to include PTSD), Respiratory condition
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 4, 2024
- Citation
- A24052377
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 A24052377.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD; left shoulder disability; and right shoulder disability. The Veteran did not meet the current disability requirement or provide sufficient evidence to support a link between his military service and these conditions.
- Granted
The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including insomnia, is granted. The respiratory and eye conditions are remanded for further evaluation.
- Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a respiratory condition, including restrictive lung disease, finding that his current diagnosis is related to his in-service symptoms and exposure. The Board also found no evidence of aggravation beyond its natural progression by military duties.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a respiratory condition and GERD. The Veteran is being remanded to provide an addendum medical opinion considering direct service connection.
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