The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to inadequate examination and new evidence is needed. The Veteran's cyclothymic disorder and antisocial personality disorder are not found to be related to his military service, while left shoulder strain and stress fracture left symphysis require further evaluation.
The deciding factor: The VA clinician did not provide a response as to whether pain, weakness, fatigability, or incoordination significantly limited functional ability during flare-ups for the Veteran's left shoulder. The VA clinician also did not suggest that the Veteran’s cyclothymic disorder was superimposed on his antisocial personality disorder.
- Claimed conditions
- cyclothymic disorder, antisocial personality disorder, left shoulder strain, stress fracture left symphysis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 11, 2018
- Citation
- 18156753
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 18156753.
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.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's hypertension, left shoulder strain, and right shoulder disability are all granted as service-connected.,The Veteran is also remanded for a rating in excess of 10 percent for degenerative arthritis of the spine and for service connection for sleep apnea.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinions and a need for additional examination.
- Denied
The Veteran's initial 10% disability rating for left shoulder strain was upheld as there was no clear and unmistakable error in the September 2010 Rating Decision.
- Denied
The Veteran's cyclothymic disorder is currently rated as 70 percent disabling, and the Board has determined that this level of impairment does not warrant a higher rating.
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