The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including Schizotypal Personality Disorder, Panic Disorder, and Stimulant Use Disorder (cocaine) in sustained remission are being remanded due to the need for updated VA treatment records and a new or addendum VA mental health examination.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's claims require further development as there is uncertainty about his current diagnoses and potential relevance of SSA disability claim records. Additionally, a new VA mental health examination is needed to determine if any diagnosed psychiatric disorder is superimposed on his non-service connectable personality disorder.
- Claimed conditions
- Schizotypal Personality Disorder, Panic Disorder, Stimulant Use Disorder (cocaine) in sustained remission, Depression, Anxiety disorder with panic attacks and agoraphobia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 15, 2019
- Citation
- 19178539
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 granted service connection for multiple myeloma, back disability (secondary to multiple myeloma), and depression, with an effective date of January 26, 2021. The decision also remanded claims related to breast cancer, DEA benefits, and initial ratings.
- Denied
The veteran's bad conduct discharge precludes eligibility for VA benefits, including compensation and healthcare.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and personality disorder, due to the need for further development of the record.
- Dismissed
The appeal was dismissed due to the death of the Appellant during its pendency.
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