The Board has remanded the case for a medical opinion to determine if there is a causal relationship between the Veteran's current acquired psychiatric disorder disability and his military service, including whether it was caused by flying Agent Orange missions, being shot at, and getting mortared.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there was a pre-decisional duty to assist error in failing to provide a complete analysis and opinion regarding any potential causal relationship between the Veteran's current acquired psychiatric disorder disability (not to include PTSD) and his military service.
- Claimed conditions
- Nightmares, Sleepwalking, Sleep Talking, Sleep Fighting, Hallucinations, Lost Memories
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 20, 2026
- Citation
- A26004537
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 A26004537.
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 granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, depression, anxiety disorder, insomnia, and nightmares. The decision is based on the Veteran's reported in-service trauma of being pushed off a diving board during boot camp, which led to persistent mental health issues.
- Granted
The Board granted a Level 2 stipend under the PCAFC due to the Veteran's need for continuous supervision and instruction, as he suffers from hallucinations, anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, and psychosis.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the Veteran does not require personal care services for a minimum of six continuous months based on an inability to perform activities of daily living or a need for supervision, protection, or instruction. The appeal is being remanded due to insufficient reasoning and lack of detailed medical opinion.
- Denied
The Board denied an earlier effective date for service connection of PTSD, finding that the earliest possible effective date is April 30, 2014 based on receipt of a formal claim.
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