Citation Nr: 21061922 Decision Date: 10/05/21 Archive Date: 10/05/21 DOCKET NO. 18-35 198 DATE: October 5, 2021 REMANDED Entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, claimed as a bipolar disorder, is remanded. REASONS FOR REMAND The Veteran served on active duty from March 2000 to March 2004. This case comes before the Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board) on appeal from a July 2017 rating decision of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO). The Veteran testified before the undersigned Veterans Law Judge in July 2021. A copy of the transcript is of record. The Board is recharacterizing the Veteran's bipolar disorder claim to include all psychiatric disorders that have been diagnosed. See Clemons v. Shinseki, 23 Vet. App. 1 (2009) (holding that the scope of a mental health disability claim includes any mental disability that may reasonably be encompassed by the claimant's description of the claim, reported symptoms, and the other information of record). 1. Entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, claimed as a bipolar disorder, is remanded. Service treatment records do not reflect treatment for a psychiatric disability. The Veteran asserts that he has suffered from mental health problems since service. He credibly testified at his Board hearing that he first exhibited symptoms commonly associated with an acquired psychiatric disability in service. Following separation from service, the Veteran has been diagnosed with a bipolar disorder. Based on the Veteran's credible testimony regarding his longstanding mental health problems, and his allegations of continuity of symptomatology since service, the Board finds that a remand for a VA examination and opinion regarding the claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability is necessary. 38 U.S.C. § 5103A(d)(2); McLendon v. Nicholson, 20 Vet. App. 79 (2006). The matters are REMANDED for the following actions: 1. Arrange for the Veteran to undergo a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his acquired psychiatric disability and its relationship, if any, to his service. Any necessary testing should be conducted. The claims file must be reviewed, and the examiner must indicate that such review occurred. The VA examiner must assign a diagnosis for all psychiatric disabilities found to be present. For each such disability, the examiner must address whether it is at least as likely as not (a probability of 50 percent or greater) that any acquired psychiatric disability had its clinical onset during the Veteran's active duty service or is otherwise etiologically related to his service. In rendering this opinion, the examiner must discuss the Veteran's competent statements regarding his mental health problems during service and thereafter. Rationale for all requested opinions shall be provided. If the examiner cannot provide an opinion without resorting to mere speculation, he or she shall provide a complete explanation stating why this is so. In so doing, the examiner shall explain whether the inability to provide a more definitive opinion is the result of a need for additional information or that he or she has exhausted the limits of current medical knowledge in providing an answer to that particular question. Caroline B. Fleming Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans' Appeals Attorney for the Board A. M. Clark, Counsel The Board's decision in this case is binding only with respect to the instant matter decided. This decision is not precedential and does not establish VA policies or interpretations of general applicability. 38 C.F.R. § 20.1303.