The Board has remanded the case due to a need for a medical opinion regarding the Veteran's mental state during his period of AWOL. The issue is not about service connection, but rather whether the character of the Veteran’s discharge from his second period of active service is a bar to eligibility for VA benefits.
The deciding factor: The Board found that remand was necessary due to concerns over the Veteran's mental state during his period of absence without leave (AWOL).
- Claimed conditions
- N/A
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 3, 2020
- Citation
- 20038179
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 20038179.
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.
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- Denied
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- Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for nonservice-connected burial allowance, burial plot or interment allowance, and denied the claim for transportation expenses. The decision is based on evidence showing that the Veteran died while under VA care and with VA authorization.
- Denied
The Board has determined that the appellant is receiving compensation for her spouse's service-connected cause of death, which constitutes a greater benefit than the nonservice-connected death pension. Therefore, the appeal for nonservice-connected death pension is denied.
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