The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type) and substance abuse as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder. The case is remanded for further development regarding residuals of a head injury.
The deciding factor: The January 2015 VA examiner presumed that the Veteran had suffered a head injury following a slip and fall in the mess hall during service, but found no current evidence of residual effects from this alleged injury or any other conditions related to his head injuries. The examiner attributed the Veteran's headaches, seizures, dizziness, back disorder, and scars of the scalp to his AVM.
- Claimed conditions
- Acquired Psychiatric Disorder (schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type), Substance Dependence
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 31, 2016
- Citation
- 1621648
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 1621648.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for an initial 70 percent rating for PTSD with depression and substance dependence is granted, but the TDIU claim is denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate VA examinations and a need for further development of medical evidence. The Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, substance dependence, other specified depressive disorder with anxious distress, and unspecified mood disorder are being reviewed.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding his claimed conditions and their relationship to service. The issues include an acquired psychiatric disorder, a right foot condition, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for a VA mental disorders examination to clarify diagnoses and determine whether any current psychiatric disabilities are related to service.
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