The Veteran is seeking service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and initial higher ratings for his service-connected low back disability, right knee disability, right foot disability, hepatic cyst disability, and right knee scar. The Board finds that a remand is necessary to obtain the Veteran's service personnel records concerning his court marshal and felony conviction for cocaine use, to provide a new VA examination(s) to determine the current severity of these disabilities, and to obtain VA treatment records from July 2015 from the Bay Pines VAMC.
The deciding factor: The Board finds that additional evidence is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims due to the need for clarification regarding his service connection claim and the need for updated examination findings and medical opinions on the severity of his service-connected disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- adjustment disorder with anxiety and depression
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 14, 2015
- Citation
- 1552094
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 1552094.
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 bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not related to military service, as there was no evidence of auditory damage during service. The left knee disability is also not related to military service.,The Veteran's left hip disability, lumbar disability, left lower extremity radiculopathy, adjustment disorder with anxiety and depression, and cesarean section scar were not related to military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, to include adjustment disorder with anxiety and depression, due to outstanding service treatment records and the need for a more adequate VA examination.
- Dismissed
The appeal of the proposed reduction from 70 percent to 30 percent for adjustment disorder with anxiety and depression was dismissed because it was not a final decision.
- Granted
The Veteran's acquired psychiatric condition described as adjustment disorder with anxiety and depression is granted, as it is at least as likely as not related to his service-connected right eye disability.
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