The Veteran's request to restore his competency status for VA benefits is being remanded due to the need for a psychiatric evaluation and additional medical records.
The deciding factor: The decision requires further examination of the Veteran's mental capacity as per 38 C.F.R. § 3.353(c).
- Claimed conditions
- Polysubstance use disorder, Auditory hallucinations
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 12, 2018
- Citation
- 18117628
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 18117628.
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 granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, MDD, and polysubstance use disorder.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient examination and opinion regarding the nature and etiology of any diagnosed psychiatric disorder(s), including PTSD. The Veteran's service treatment records indicate anxiety, but there is no clear evidence that his pre-existing mental health issues were aggravated by service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claim for a rating higher than 70 percent for acquired psychiatric disorder due to the Veteran's failure to appear for a VA examination. The AOJ should attempt to schedule an appropriate examination and readjudicate the case.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran seeks a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) prior to March 26, 2014. The Board has remanded the case for further consideration by the Director of Compensation and Pension Services regarding TDIU on an extraschedular basis.
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