Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2014

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for a psychiatric disability due to new evidence submitted, but denied the TDIU claim as there is no clear basis for its decision.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety disorder NOS and PTSD, was incurred in service. The issue of entitlement to service connection for diabetes mellitus is being remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and opinions regarding his psychiatric disability and left shoulder disability.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is related to his service-connected right shoulder disability, and he is granted a 40 percent evaluation for his right shoulder contusion with arthritis.

The Veteran seeks an earlier effective date for the award of a total disability rating due to individual unemployability (TDIU) from March 15, 2010. The case is being remanded to secure SSA records and consider all evidence.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for a low back disability, neuropathy to include sciatica of the lower extremities, and a psychiatric disorder due to new and material evidence presented by the Veteran.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for acquired psychiatric disability, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The evidence did not establish a nexus between these conditions and service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for recurrent dislocation of the left knee, acquired psychiatric disorder, lumbar spine disorder, and sciatica is granted due to aggravation by service. The claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder, lumbar spine disorder, and sciatica are remanded.

The Veteran's PTSD is found to be service-connected, as supported by credible evidence of a verified in-service stressor and current symptomatology related to that stressor.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claims for service connection are not properly before it and has scheduled a video conference hearing to address these issues.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions and verifying a claimed in-service stressor. The issues of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD) and rating for lumbar strain are pending.

The Veteran's schizophrenia with alcohol abuse is considered to be of service origin, and the Board has granted service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a chest/cardiac disability and an acquired psychiatric disorder have been denied as there is no evidence of a current disability that meets the criteria for compensation purposes.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for further examinations and evaluations of the Veteran's skin disorder and psychiatric condition. The claim will be reconsidered after these additional assessments.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including providing notice on how to substantiate secondary service connection claims and scheduling a VA examination to address the etiology of his psychiatric disorder.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, and therefore service connection for this condition is denied. The Veteran's sleep disorder was also found to be unrelated to service.

The Board found that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is not service-connected due to his own willful misconduct, specifically alcohol abuse.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD was not incurred in or related to his active service, and therefore denied the claim.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder. The Veteran's current psychiatric disability is found to be at least in equipoise with the event in service, which involved a heightened state of alert during the Arab-Israeli conflict in October 1973, leading to fear that the Veteran believed his death was imminent. Therefore, service connection is granted.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's psychiatric disorder, as the previous examinations are deemed inadequate.