The Board has remanded the case for a supplemental medical opinion to determine if the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders are related to his active duty or any incidents therein, including reports of being beaten and sexually abused by his sergeant.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there is not clear and unmistakable evidence that the Veteran had specified bipolar and related disorder before service, and thus remanded for a supplemental medical opinion to determine if it is at least as likely as not related to active duty or incidents therein.
- Claimed conditions
- Borderline Personality Disorder, Bipolar Disorder, Major Depressive Disorder, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 3, 2020
- Citation
- 20058595
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 20058595.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's major depressive disorder is found to be caused by his service-connected low back and radiculopathy disabilities, which prevent him from doing enjoyable activities and daily living tasks.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for an increased rating for PTSD and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a new VA examination.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) due to a verified in-service stressor, and the positive and negative medical evidence is at least in equipoise.
- Granted
Your claim for a higher rating and service connection for PTSD has been granted. The new evidence supports reopening your case.
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