The Board has decided to remand the case due to new evidence received, which includes service treatment records. The appellant now contends that the Veteran's schizophrenia led to alcohol abuse and cirrhosis of the liver.
The deciding factor: Newly received service records are relevant to the issue on appeal as they may provide information about the cause of death.
- Claimed conditions
- schizophrenia, alcohol abuse, cirrhosis of the liver
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 21, 2019
- Citation
- 19139411
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 19139411.
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.
- Dismissed
The appeals for service connection for various conditions were dismissed due to the Veteran's death.
- 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.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for cirrhosis of the liver, finding that it was due to herbicide exposure during the Veteran's service in Vietnam.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and alcohol abuse as secondary to posttraumatic stress disorder for further development, including obtaining medical opinions on the etiology of these conditions.
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