The Board remands the matter for an additional examination to confirm all diagnoses of current psychiatric disorders and obtain etiology opinions that consider the Veteran's personality disorder.
The deciding factor: The December 2020 VA examination did not diagnose the Veteran with schizoaffective disorder or bipolar disorder, which are previously diagnosed conditions. The Board finds these medical opinions inadequate as they are conclusory without explanation for how the examiner came to this diagnosis and why the Veteran's diagnosis appears to have changed.
- Claimed conditions
- schizoaffective disorder, bipolar disorder, personality disorder
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 9, 2025
- Citation
- A25050585
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 remands the claims for service connection for major depression, personality disorder, and severe anxiety due to an inadequate VA examination and opinion.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an effective date of December 12, 2023, for a 50 percent evaluation of bipolar disorder and remanded the other issues for further development.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for an acquired mental health condition, to include major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder, based on new evidence.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for bipolar disorder and denied increased ratings for the lumbar disability, left and right sciatica, and chronic sinusitis. However, it granted an increased rating of 40 percent from March 7, 2022, for left and right sciatic radiculopathy and restored a 30 percent rating for chronic sinusitis.
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.