The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether any current mental health disorder is related to service. The Veteran was diagnosed with various conditions, and a new VA examination is needed to determine if his condition is linked to military service.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there is not sufficient evidence to establish a link between the Veteran's current diagnoses and his in-service stressor event.
- Claimed conditions
- adjustment disorder with depressed mood, polysubstance dependence in early remission, antisocial personality disorder, unspecified personality disorder with antisocial traits
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 2, 2020
- Citation
- 20000107
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.
- Denied
The Board denied an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating.
- Denied
The Board denied a rating in excess of 50 percent prior to October 16, 2023, and 70 percent thereafter for adjustment disorder with depressed mood. The claim for a compensable rating for hypothyroidism was remanded.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities, but denied an increased disability rating for the Veteran's herniated nucleus pulposus with post-traumatic arthritis of the lumbar spine.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include adjustment disorder with depressed mood and alcohol use disorder, and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), but denied service connection for sleep disturbances. The claims for multiple sclerosis, left leg varicose veins, and hypertension were remanded.
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