The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is found to be causally and etiologically linked to his active service. The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to engage and retain substantially gainful employment, warranting a TDIU.
The deciding factor: A positive nexus opinion was provided by the Veteran's private examiner, Dr. B., linking the current psychiatric disorder to in-service harassment and bullying. The Board found this opinion more probative than the negative opinion from the VA examiner due to inconsistencies with the Veteran's reports and his consistent assertions of harassment.
- Claimed conditions
- acquired psychiatric disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- October 23, 2017
- Citation
- 1747278
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 1747278.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board allowed the benefit or issue identified in this decision. Review the original order: other issues in the same appeal may have a different outcome, and this decision does not predict another claim.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
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The Veteran's claims for service connection on the merits are being remanded due to new evidence and development needs. The maximum disability rating for tinnitus has already been assigned.
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The Board has remanded the claims of entitlement to service connection for headaches, right hip disorder, left hip disorder, back disorder, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to a failure to provide notice regarding the Veteran's right to a hearing.
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The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for an addendum opinion regarding the nature and etiology of his unspecified neurocognitive disorder, which was diagnosed after a September 2021 heart surgery. The issues are about service connection on the merits.
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