The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was denied as he did not engage in combat and the claimed stressor is not corroborated. The Board found that there is no evidence of a verified stressor related to his military service.,The left-hand right finger including arthritis and left ankle including small achilles calcaneal enthesophyte claims are remanded due to missing private medical records.
The deciding factor: The Veteran did not engage in combat, and the claimed stressor is not corroborated. The Board found that there is no evidence of a verified stressor related to his military service.,Missing private medical records were identified which need to be obtained for the left-hand right finger including arthritis and left ankle including small achilles calcaneal enthesophyte claims.
- Claimed conditions
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Left-hand right finger including arthritis, Left ankle including small achilles calcaneal enthesophyte
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 25, 2026
- Citation
- 26002594
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 26002594.
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 Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to December 27, 2019 for the grant of service connection for PTSD was denied as there is no earlier claim document in the claims file and the Veteran did not timely perfect an appeal.
- Granted
The Veteran's PTSD is granted as a result of military sexual trauma (MST) that occurred during service. The Board found the Veteran's testimony and supporting evidence credible, including her VA and private treatment records.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for TDIU is granted with an effective date of August 17, 2022. The decision also denies the Veteran's request for Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) due to lack of need for aid and attendance or being housebound.
- Granted
The Board has granted eligibility to attorney fees based on past-due benefits awarded in the October 2024 rating decision for an increased PTSD rating and denied TDIU.
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