Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2014

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining more details about the Veteran's claimed stressors and scheduling a VA examination. The appeal is also being remanded to address the issue of service connection for hepatitis C.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD has been remanded due to the failure to attend a scheduled VA examination. The case will be returned for further development and consideration.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, paranoid schizophrenia with psychosis, and arthritis was denied. The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of bilateral hearing loss meeting VA compensation criteria.

The Veteran is service connected for multiple disabilities, including an acquired psychiatric disorder and cold injury residuals. The Board finds that these conditions render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities, thus granting a TDIU.

The Veteran's service connection claims for PTSD, sleep apnea, skin conditions of the back and abdomen, and stomach condition are granted.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability is rated at 40% since November 15, 2012. The Board has jurisdiction to determine whether entitlement to a TDIU on an extraschedular basis is warranted due to the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his claims, including obtaining pertinent VA treatment records and scheduling him for a VA psychiatric and heart condition examination.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and an opinion regarding the Veteran's claimed acquired psychiatric disability to include depression, as well as his erectile dysfunction (ED) which he contends is secondary to his depression. The claims are being returned to the AOJ for additional action.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders including PTSD and depression are found to be at least in part caused or aggravated by events in service in Southwest Asia.,Left ear hearing loss is found to have preexisted periods of active duty but underwent an increase in level of disability during active service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of back and knee disorders, as well as his claim for a sleep disorder secondary to a service-connected disability are being remanded due to the need for additional development. The Board will provide VA examinations for these issues.

The Board has determined that the earliest effective date for the award of nonservice-connected pension benefits is September 12, 1988, but no earlier. This decision is based on the Veteran's first diagnosis and hospitalization due to paranoid schizophrenia.

The Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, has been granted. The decision is based on the merits and does not involve any presumption or secondary service connection.

The Board has found that the Veteran's current GI and psychiatric disorders are service connected, but the nature of the connection is unclear. The claims for these conditions have been granted, but it remains to be determined whether they are due to direct service connection or secondary to a pre-existing condition.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and providing the Veteran with information about the amended regulations for PTSD.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for paranoid schizophrenia was reopened and granted. The claim for PTSD was denied.

Service connection has been granted for an acquired psychiatric disorder related to service-connected lumbar spine disability.,No new evidence was provided for the increased rating of pseudofolliculitis, so the current rating remains in effect.,The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is now rated at 40%, effective January 3, 2012.,Right and left lower extremity radiculopathy have been granted increased ratings to 20% each.,No new evidence was provided for the TDIU claim, so it remains pending.,The effective date for the 40 percent rating of lumbar spine disability is January 3, 2012.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to the need for additional development, including obtaining outstanding VA treatment records and providing a supplemental medical opinion regarding his psychiatric disorders.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining updated medical records and scheduling VA examinations to assess the Veteran's right foot disability and acquired psychiatric disorder. The issues of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD and a higher evaluation for right foot disability are now before the Board.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension is not caused or aggravated by his service-connected psychiatric disorder, and therefore denied the claim for service connection for hypertension as secondary to a psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability was found to be manifested by symptoms comparable to occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas, warranting a rating of 70 percent prior to June 29, 2012. On and after that date, the disability continued to meet these criteria.