The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding when the Veteran first had a diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder, and whether it was manifested prior to June 13, 2013. The Veteran's service treatment records do not show such a diagnosis during active duty, but postservice clinical records indicate various psychiatric diagnoses in the early-mid 1980s.
The deciding factor: The Board found insufficient medical evidence to determine when the Veteran first had a diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder and whether it was manifested prior to June 13, 2013.
- Claimed conditions
- schizoaffective disorder, depressed type
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- October 21, 2020
- Citation
- 20067922
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,699 · Granted: 17% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 20067922.
What this means for you
A remand sends an issue back for more development, often a new examination or missing records. It does not award the benefit or decide the final outcome. The original decision explains the additional work ordered.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation based on the need for regular aid and attendance or by reason of being housebound, as his service-connected disabilities did not render him permanently bedridden or unable to care for his daily needs without requiring the regular aid and attendance of another person.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder, specifically schizoaffective disorder, depressed type, is now rated at 70 percent from March 26, 2009 to February 10, 2011. The effective date for this rating is set as of March 26, 2009.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and thus DIC under 38 U.S.C. § 1318 is denied. The cause of death claim is remanded for further development.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a procedural issue regarding the earlier effective date for service connection of a psychiatric disorder. The Veteran submitted a timely notice of disagreement, but the Regional Office did not properly address this in their decision and should have issued an SOC.
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