The Veteran's mental health condition and bilateral hip conditions have not met the criteria for higher ratings, with his mental health condition rated at 70 percent and his hips rated at 10 percent each.
The deciding factor: The evidence does not show total social impairment or other symptoms warranting a higher rating for the mental health condition, nor does it show limitation of motion in the hips that would support a higher rating under DCs 5252 and 5253.
- Claimed conditions
- Insomnia with bipolar disorder, Alcohol use disorder, Cannabis use disorder in remission
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 19, 2021
- Citation
- 21023016
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 21023016.
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 the Veteran's requests for an effective date prior to June 3, 2020 for the grants of service connection for PTSD and tinnitus. The decision states that VA did not receive an ITF in September 2019 as claimed by the Veteran or her representative, and thus no earlier effective date can be granted.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, particularly PTSD. The Veteran is seeking service connection for these conditions and related stressors.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected psychiatric and substance use disabilities required inpatient treatment at a VA-approved residential treatment center (RTC) from April to June 2020, exceeding the 21-day threshold for temporary total rating. The Board granted this claim.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected major depressive disorder with unspecified anxiety disorder and alcohol use disorder has rendered him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment, which the Board finds meets the criteria for a TDIU.
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