The Veteran's OCD and alcohol dependence are currently rated at 30 percent, but he seeks a higher rating. The Board has ordered the case to be remanded for an examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected OCD.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's symptoms have increased since his last VA examination in September 2013 and he is currently taking more medication for his OCD, warranting a new evaluation.
- Claimed conditions
- obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), alcohol dependence
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 30, 2019
- Citation
- 19133185
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,861 · Granted: 27% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 19133185.
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 has decided to remand the case due to a duty-to-assist error, and will need to obtain an opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability with alcohol dependence.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and PTSD due to a duty-to-assist error. The Veteran's file must be reviewed, and she should be scheduled for a VA examination.
- Denied
The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD, anxiety, depression, alcohol dependence, and anger issues. The denial is based on a lack of verified stressor in service linking these conditions to service, as well as a lack of medical nexus connecting them to service.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for alcohol dependence and peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, both secondary to service-connected conditions.
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