Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2012

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression and anxiety, is secondary to his service-connected hepatitis C. The Veteran does not have a diagnosis of PTSD. His venereal disease (genital herpes) began in service.

The Veteran's hepatitis, bilateral hearing loss, and other conditions are all found to be related to his service. The Veteran is granted service connection for these conditions.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD and is granting this aspect of his appeal.

The Board has granted service connection for right and left central band plantar fascia tears, as well as a mood disorder secondary to the bilateral foot disabilities. The Veteran's claims for back and neck disorders are remanded due to lack of VA examination.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is rated at 40 percent, the highest available rating under the General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine. The Board also granted service connection for a right ankle disorder and a psychiatric disorder (PTSD with major depressive disorder), both secondary to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claims are being remanded for additional development to determine the appropriate rating for dementia due to head trauma, service connection for a scar under the left eye, and service connection for a psychiatric disorder to include depression as secondary to dementia due to head trauma. The claim for individual unemployability is also being remanded.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability resulted in a 40 percent evaluation, effective September 1, 2010. The right leg and left lower extremity radiculopathy associated with the lumbar spine disability were each rated at 10 percent prior to September 1, 2010.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and a new VA mental disorders examination to address the service connection claim for psychiatric disorder, which may include PTSD. The TDIU claim will be deferred until this development is completed.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is being remanded due to the need to obtain Social Security Administration records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a verified in-service stressor for PTSD and therefore cannot establish service connection. The acquired psychiatric disorder to include PTSD is denied as there is no evidence of an in-service event, injury or illness that would support such a diagnosis. For erectile dysfunction (ED), the claim was also denied as it is not related to service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including scheduling a VA psychiatric examination and obtaining additional evidence. The Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, is now before the RO/AMC for reconsideration.

The Board found that a psychiatric disability was not incurred in or aggravated by active duty, is not proximately due to or the result of service-connected disability, and the incurrence or aggravation of a psychosis during such service may not be presumed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee disorder and acquired psychiatric disorder (other than PTSD) are not service-connected.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including bipolar and depressive disorders, finding that the Veteran's conditions are not causally or etiologically related to his military service. The Board also found that drug addiction was not incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for a psychiatric disorder and for a compensable rating for hypertension are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including medical examinations.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed in order to make a full determination on the Veteran's claims, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and any relevant SSA and USPS records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims of service connection for kidney cancer and an acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD) are not substantiated, as they do not fall under the scope of this appeal. The claim for a compensable disability evaluation for bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to adjudicate the Veteran's claims, including obtaining SSA disability benefits records and conducting VA examinations.

The Board has found that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of PTSD and therefore, service connection for PTSD is denied.

The Board found no evidence of a current disability related to the Veteran's claimed acquired psychiatric disorder or colon condition, and thus denied service connection for both conditions.