The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder due to a lack of a VA medical examination and opinion prior to rating his disability. The Veteran is diagnosed with multiple psychiatric disabilities, including depression, anxiety, irritability and anger (PTSD), alcoholism, and trauma/stressor-related disorder. A VA examination is required to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.
The deciding factor: The Board found that a VA medical examination was needed due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error in not obtaining an opinion prior to rating the Veteran's disability.
- Claimed conditions
- Major depressive disorder, Generalized anxiety disorder, Irritability and anger (Trauma/stressor-related disorder), Depression, Alcoholism
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 4, 2024
- Citation
- A24080195
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 A24080195.
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 initial ratings of 40 percent for lumbar spine disorder, 70 percent for major depressive disorder, and 40 percent for left lower extremity radiculopathy. TDIU and SMC based on housebound status were also granted.
- Granted
The Board granted an effective date of May 9, 2022, for the grant of service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder with generalized anxiety disorder, other specified depressive disorder, and alcohol use disorder.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for multiple myeloma, back disability (secondary to multiple myeloma), and depression, with an effective date of January 26, 2021. The decision also remanded claims related to breast cancer, DEA benefits, and initial ratings.
- Denied
The veteran's bad conduct discharge precludes eligibility for VA benefits, including compensation and healthcare.
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