The Veteran's claims for a higher rating and TDIU prior to January 12, 2015 are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding her mental health conditions.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there was insufficient evidence in the record to determine the severity of the Veteran’s depressive disorder with anxiety disorder and panic disorder between July 2011 and January 2015, including records from Social Security Administration (SSA).
- Claimed conditions
- depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, panic disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 19, 2020
- Citation
- 20067612
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 remands the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder to ensure a proper examination and etiology opinion are provided.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for panic disorder, OSA, and hypertension as secondary to a service-connected condition. The claim for diabetes mellitus was denied.
- Granted
The Board granted a disability rating of 50 percent for the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, characterized as depressive disorder, effective May 1, 2017.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for an initial disability rating greater than 30 percent for service-connected psychiatric disabilities prior to November 1, 2023, as the AOJ has not adjudicated the Veteran's September 2023 supplemental claim in the first instance.
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This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.