The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for an addendum opinion addressing in-service events and their relation to his currently diagnosed acquired psychiatric disorders. The case is now pending further examination and review.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner must acknowledge that the Veteran is presumed sound on entry with regard to his bipolar disorder, which may affect the determination of service connection.
- Claimed conditions
- Bipolar I Disorder, Alcohol Use Disorder (moderate in sustained remission), Cocaine Use Disorder (moderate in sustained remission), Cannabis Use Disorder (mild in sustained remission)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 23, 2020
- Citation
- 20074759
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 Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, to include posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), agoraphobia, and bipolar I disorder, based on the Veteran's credible lay statements and supporting evidence.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's appeal for a higher rating and an earlier effective date for his Bipolar I Disorder, as well as an initial rating in excess of 50 percent for unspecified anxiety and depressive disorders.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim of service connection for PTSD is granted, and the issues of service connection for Major Depressive Disorder, Bipolar I Disorder, and Adjustment Disorder are remanded.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating 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.