Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2014

The Board has remanded the case due to outstanding records and requests for additional information from SSA.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including bipolar disorder; a heart disorder; and a right lower extremity disorder. The low back disorder was granted as service connected on a direct basis.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), that was caused by his service.

The Board denied reopening the claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder and a personality disorder in August 1986, and no new and material evidence has been submitted since then.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss originated in service due to acoustic trauma, and granted service connection for this condition. The issue of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder remains pending.

The Board found that the Veteran's current psychiatric disability, claimed as PTSD, was not incurred in or aggravated by active service and is instead related to chronic alcohol and polysubstance abuse.

The Board is remanding the claims for a psychiatric disorder, sleep disorder, and neck and shoulder disorder due to new and material evidence being found. The claims are also being remanded for additional development including VA examinations.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on the issues of liver disorder, left heel fracture, bilateral testicle disorder, and other conditions have been withdrawn. The remaining claims are dismissed.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was denied by the RO, but a VA physician diagnosed PTSD in accordance with DSM-IV criteria. The Board finds that a new examination is necessary to determine if the Veteran's current symptoms are related to his reported stressors and whether they meet the criteria for PTSD.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for the issue of entitlement to service connection for tinnitus prior to a decision being made by the Board.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depression, that is related to his military service. The claim for service connection is denied.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining a new VA examination to determine if the Veteran's psychiatric disorder is related to his service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination to address whether his current psychiatric disability is aggravated by another service-connected disability.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded for a comprehensive evaluation of the functional effects of his service-connected disabilities on employment.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the claim of service connection for paranoid schizophrenia, resulting in a denial.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA and private treatment records, scheduling a VA psychiatric examination, and scheduling a VA podiatric examination.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for depression, gastritis, and sleep apnea have been reopened. The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability (which includes PTSD and depression).,Service connection is also granted for the Veteran's skin condition as a result of remanding this issue.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of diabetes mellitus or hearing loss disability, and thus service connection for these conditions is denied. The claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (to include PTSD) remains pending.

The Veteran's schizophrenia was granted a rating of 100 percent for the period from May 9, 1979 to September 26, 1984. The claim for TDIU during this same period was denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for PTSD, an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The decision also noted that the Veteran did not have a diagnosed PTSD due to a sexual assault during her military service.