The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination. The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression, is being examined again to determine if it was incurred in or aggravated by his military service. For the acid reflux disability (GERD), a new VA examination will be conducted to assess its onset during service and whether it is related to his psychiatric disability.
The deciding factor: The Board found insufficient evidence for both claims and requires further medical evaluation to establish the nature of the Veteran's conditions and their relationship to military service.
- Claimed conditions
- Acquired psychiatric disability (including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression), Acid reflux disability (GERD)
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 25, 2018
- Citation
- 18113981
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 18113981.
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.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's headaches are at least as likely as not caused by his service-connected traumatic brain injury, and thus grants service connection for this condition.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hypertension and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.
- Granted
The Veteran's major depressive disorder is found to be caused by his service-connected low back and radiculopathy disabilities, which prevent him from doing enjoyable activities and daily living tasks.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities, and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his active service or any related exposure.
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