The Board remands the claims for a higher rating and an earlier effective date for an acquired psychiatric condition due to the failure to provide an informal conference as required by regulation.
The deciding factor: Remand is necessary to ensure compliance with VA's duty to assist in providing the Veteran an informal hearing conference, which may aid in substantiating his claim.
- Claimed conditions
- posttraumatic stress disorder, bipolar disorder with alcohol use disorder
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 2, 2025
- Citation
- A25048478
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.
- Dismissed
The appeal for a temporary total evaluation because of hospital treatment in excess of 21 days for service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder was withdrawn by the Veteran's representative and is therefore dismissed.
- Granted
The Board granted an increased (Level 2) stipend in the PCAFC for the Veteran's caregiver due to the need for continuous supervision and protection based on the Veteran's medical conditions.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance or housebound status due to her service-connected disabilities not meeting the criteria.
- Dismissed
The appeal of the proposed effective date for service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder was dismissed as a matter of law.
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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.