The Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than December 12, 2016, for the award of service connection for unspecified trauma and stressor disorder is remanded due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error. The Board finds that a retrospective VA medical opinion is needed regarding whether the Veteran had a psychiatric disability prior to December 12, 2016, including at the time of filing his claim.
The deciding factor: The decision was based on a retroactive review due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error in not obtaining private treatment records and scheduling a VA examination for the Veteran's psychiatric disability prior to December 12, 2016.
- Claimed conditions
- unspecified trauma and stressor related disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 5, 2024
- Citation
- A24052802
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 A24052802.
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 Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including unspecified trauma and stressor related disorder and depression, had its onset during service. Therefore, the claim for service connection is granted.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for his service-connected unspecified trauma and stressor related disorder is denied. The effective date for the award of service connection remains June 22, 2018.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's claimed acquired psychiatric disorders, including unspecified trauma and stressor related disorder, cannabis use disorder, moderate; other stimulant use disorder, severe in sustained remission; and alcohol use disorder, moderate in early remission. The Board found that these conditions are proximately due to his military service.
- Denied
The Veteran's psychiatric disability, which includes unspecified trauma and stressor related disorder with unspecified depressive disorder, is currently rated at 30 percent. The Board denied an initial rating in excess of 30 percent due to the evidence showing occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform tasks, but generally functioning satisfactorily.
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