The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection of a schizoaffective disorder due to new and material evidence. However, the issue of whether this condition is related to military service remains pending as it requires further examination.
The deciding factor: New evidence received suggests that the Veteran may have had pre-existing symptoms prior to his active duty but does not conclusively establish if these were aggravated by service or caused a new disorder.
- Claimed conditions
- schizoaffective disorder
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 7, 2019
- Citation
- 19101223
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed alternatively as schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, and bipolar disorder, due to an inadequate VA examiner's opinion and a failure to fulfill the duty to assist in obtaining relevant medical records.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for an increased rating in excess of 70 percent for schizoaffective disorder to ensure proper notice and a new VA psychiatric examination.
- Granted
The Board granted an earlier effective date of December 10, 1985, for the grant of service connection for schizoaffective disorder based on newly received and relevant service department records.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, to include schizoaffective disorder and PTSD.
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This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.