The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate examination and incomplete review of medical records. The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including bipolar disorder, is being reviewed again for service connection.
The deciding factor: An adequate VA examination was not provided as it did not consider all relevant evidence and had internal contradictions in its conclusions.
- Claimed conditions
- bipolar I disorder
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 6, 2020
- Citation
- 20071939
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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for bipolar I disorder, finding that the condition preexisted the Veteran's military service and was not aggravated by it.
- Denied
The Board denied a rating in excess of 50 percent for bipolar I disorder, finding that the Veteran's symptoms did not warrant a higher rating.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including bipolar I disorder, alcohol use disorder (mild), and major depressive disorder with psychotic features.
- Dismissed
The appeal of a grant of service connection for treatment purposes only under 38 U.S.C. Chapter 17 for bipolar I disorder is dismissed as the Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder in a September 2025 decision.
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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.