The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for a new VA medical opinion due to inadequate previous examination and incomplete medical findings. The opinion is needed to determine if any acquired psychiatric disorder clearly and unmistakably preexisted service, whether it was aggravated by service, and its relationship to in-service mental health complaints.
The deciding factor: The Board found the June 2014 VA examination inadequate as it did not address all relevant STRs and long history of treatment for bipolar disorder. The opinion is needed to determine if any acquired psychiatric disorder clearly and unmistakably preexisted service, whether it was aggravated by service, and its relationship to in-service mental health complaints.
- Claimed conditions
- bipolar disorder, depressed mood, panic disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 22, 2020
- Citation
- 20042105
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 20042105.
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 remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including bipolar disorder and PTSD. The Veteran will be asked to provide additional medical records and undergo a VA examination.
- Granted
The Veteran's bipolar disorder was rated at 50% and then reduced to 30%. The Board has now granted a 70% rating effective November 23, 2021, based on the improvement in her symptoms.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have resulted in loss of use of both feet, which qualifies her for an allowance for an automobile and adaptive equipment.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to March 2, 2015, for TDIU was denied as the evidence did not show actual worsening within one year prior to his March 2, 2015, claim.
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