The Board has granted the petition to reopen a claim of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including depressive disorder and bipolar disorder. The case is remanded for further development regarding the nature and etiology of any sleep disorder and whether it is related to or aggravated by the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders.
The deciding factor: The Board found that new evidence has been received since the February 2006 decision, raising a reasonable possibility of substantiating the service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder. The case is now remanded for further examination and determination regarding the nature and etiology of any sleep disorder and its relationship to or aggravation by the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders.
- Claimed conditions
- depressive disorder, bipolar disorder
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 5, 2023
- Citation
- 23026103
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 23026103.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including bipolar disorder and PTSD. The Veteran will be asked to provide additional medical records and undergo a VA examination.
- Granted
The Veteran's vascular headaches are granted effective August 22, 2011. A TDIU is granted effective February 11, 2015. SMC based on housebound criteria is denied prior to July 14, 2020.
- Granted
The Board has restored the Veteran's 100% rating for depressive disorder, effective August 1, 2020, as the reduction was improper and did not comply with applicable regulations.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for service connection for acquired psychiatric disability, including unspecified anxiety disorder, depressive disorder, kleptomania, and PTSD is being remanded due to the AOJ's failure to obtain medical records from his periods of incarceration or a medical opinion regarding his diagnoses.
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