The Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 30 percent for unspecified depressive disorder with alcohol use disorder is remanded due to the need for a VA examination to assess the current severity and manifestations of his service-connected disability.
The deciding factor: The Veteran may have experienced worsening symptoms since the last VA examination, necessitating further assessment.
- Claimed conditions
- unspecified depressive disorder with alcohol use disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 12, 2019
- Citation
- 19128847
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 19128847.
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 Board denied the claims for increased ratings and remanded the claim for service connection of left varicocele.
- Partly granted
The Board restored service connection for unspecified depressive disorder with alcohol use disorder, granted a 70 percent rating for the condition, and also granted service connection for lumbosacral strain.
- Granted
The Veteran's unspecified depressive disorder with alcohol use disorder was granted a 100 percent disability rating from August 20, 2019.
- Granted
The veteran's service connection for migraine headaches, including migraine variants, as secondary to PTSD and unspecified depressive disorder with alcohol use disorder is granted.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.