The Board has remanded the case due to conflicting opinions and need for clarification on whether the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder developed during service or was aggravated by his service-connected orthopedic disabilities.
The deciding factor: The opinion provided does not clearly address whether the Veteran's pre-existing psychiatric disorder worsened beyond its natural progression during service, which is necessary to determine eligibility under the presumptive provisions of 38 U.S.C. § 1702.
- Claimed conditions
- Other specified bipolar disorder
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 20, 2021
- Citation
- 21064499
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 21064499.
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 claim for a rating in excess of 70 percent for other specified bipolar disorder, finding that his symptoms did not meet the criteria for a 100 percent rating due to total occupational and social impairment.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD with other specified bipolar disorder, alcohol use disorder, and other specified personality disorder with mixed personality features due to insufficient evidence linking his current symptoms to an in-service stressor.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted a TDIU based solely on his service-connected other specified bipolar disorder, effective July 24, 2017. He also meets the criteria for SMC based on statutory housebound status due to this condition and additional service-connected disabilities combined at 100 percent.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder was denied, but his claim for service connection for Other specified bipolar disorder was granted.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.