The Board has determined that further development is needed to determine the relationship between the veteran's service-connected schizoaffective disorder and his death, which was caused by methadone and cocaine toxicity. The DIC benefits claim under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318 will also be remanded for additional review.
The deciding factor: The Board found that a medical opinion is necessary to determine the relationship between the veteran's service-connected schizoaffective disorder and his death, which was caused by methadone and cocaine toxicity.
- Claimed conditions
- schizoaffective disorder, fracture, navicular right wrist
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 18, 2006
- Citation
- 0629505
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,911 · Granted: 10% (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 0629505.
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 has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining in-service psychiatric treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any acquired psychiatric disorder.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, schizoaffective disorder, and neurocognitive disorder is remanded due to a failure to provide a VA examination addressing whether the pre-existing psychiatric disorder was aggravated during service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error. The Social Security Administration records need to be obtained and reviewed.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's initial rating of 50% for schizoaffective disorder is increased to 70% from June 22, 2009 to April 30, 2010 and from July 1, 2010 to August 18, 2020. A temporary total disability rating of 100% for hospital treatment due to schizoaffective disorder is granted from March 1, 2010 to June 30, 2010. The Veteran's entitlement to TDIU prior to August 18, 2020 is also granted.
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