The Board has determined that further development is needed to properly evaluate the veteran's hepatitis and psychiatric disability claims, including considering whether a separate rating for cirrhosis of the liver should be assigned and obtaining an updated VA examination.
The deciding factor: Further evaluation is required due to changes in rating criteria and the need to distinguish between service-connected and nonservice-connected conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- Hepatitis, Acquired Psychiatric Disability
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 28, 2005
- Citation
- 0502168
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 0502168.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disability, to include PTSD, as it needs a medical opinion addressing the nature and etiology of the condition prior to October 16, 2023.
- Granted
The Board granted an initial increased rating of 70 percent for the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, effective from the date of the appeal.
- Dismissed
The appeal for service connection for hypertension is dismissed as the claim has been fully granted. The claims for bilateral hearing loss, back disability, fatigue, and acquired psychiatric disability are remanded for further development.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that his alcohol-related causes of death were etiologically linked to a service-connected disability.
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