The Board remands the claim for a new VA examination to determine if the Veteran's PTSD and TBI symptoms are clearly separable.
The deciding factor: The current VA examinations were inadequate as they could not separate the symptoms of PTSD and TBI, leading to a need for an addendum opinion.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic stress disorder with alcohol use disorder, Traumatic brain injury with dizziness
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 19, 2025
- Citation
- A25025278
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.
- Dismissed
The appeal for an earlier effective date for the award of service connection and a 100 percent rating was dismissed due to lack of legal merit.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, vision loss, erectile dysfunction, undiagnosed illness (Gulf War illness), and a rating in excess of 70 percent disabling for PTSD with alcohol use disorder.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for service connection and TDIU, as well as a claim for SMC.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder with alcohol use disorder, finding it to be etiologically related to the Veteran's active duty service.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.