The Board remands the issues of entitlement to a rating in excess of 70 percent for service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD/MST) with persistent depressive disorder, a total disability rating based on individual unemployability, and service connection for various conditions due to an inadequate VA examination and medical opinion.
The deciding factor: The Board finds that the VA examinations and opinions were inadequate as they did not properly consider the Veteran's lay statements regarding current pain symptoms and treatment for pain symptoms, or address the service treatment records diagnosing pes planus and treatment therefor. The failure to obtain an adequate examination constitutes a pre-decisional failure of the duty to assist.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD/MST) with persistent depressive disorder, Residuals of left foot injury, Residuals of right foot injury, Arthritis of the left shoulder and arm, Residuals of hysterectomy, Dermatophytosis (skin rash, left hand), Eczema (skin rash, neck), Dermatophytosis (skin rash, right hand)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 25, 2025
- Citation
- A25027489
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,316 · Granted: 43% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 A25027489.
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 an increased disability rating higher than 50 percent for residuals of hysterectomy and an effective date earlier than July 23, 2023 for the award of special monthly compensation based on anatomical loss of a creative organ.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him so helpless as to require the regular aid and attendance of another person, resulting in a grant of special monthly compensation (SMC) based on need for regular aid and attendance.
- Granted
The Veteran's right foot disability was previously rated at 30 percent, but a 40 percent rating is granted beginning September 14, 2021. Special monthly compensation for loss of use of the right foot is also granted starting from that date.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered her unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment prior to August 8, 2012. The Board granted a TDIU for this period.
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