The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a compensable rating for CTE and aphasia, physical residuals of TBI, and special monthly compensation at the (k) and (t) rates due to TBI. The AOJ is required to obtain a new VA examination and correct any pre-decisional duty to assist errors in determining appropriate ratings.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the February 2026 rating decision was premature as it awarded a 0 percent rating for CTE and aphasia without obtaining an updated VA examination, which constitutes a pre-decisional duty to assist error. The AOJ is required to obtain a new VA examination to determine appropriate ratings.
- Claimed conditions
- Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), Aphasia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 15, 2026
- Citation
- A26034715
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 A26034715.
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.
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- Remanded (sent back)
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