Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2015

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to incomplete records and the need for further development, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and searching for inpatient treatment records from a military hospital in Okinawa.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of a traumatic brain injury, loss of use of the left side of the body, and a compensable rating for residuals of a fracture of the left mandible. The decision found that there was no evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for a respiratory disorder including obstructive sleep apnea and chronic cough, as well as an acquired psychiatric disorder including depression. The VA determined that these conditions were not present in service or related to service, including Agent Orange exposure.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected bilateral hearing loss. A social and industrial survey will also be conducted to determine if he qualifies for TDIU.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings and service connection was granted, with a 60% rating assigned for residuals of right knee replacement since May 1, 2010. The Veteran is also entitled to TDIU from May 1, 2010 to July 14, 2014.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, but further development is needed to determine if his current mental health issues are related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and dislocated ribs have been dismissed due to withdrawal of the appeal by the Veteran.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is secondary to his service-connected allergic rhinitis. The Board has granted this claim.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), is denied as there is no competent diagnosis of a mental disorder.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an eye/vision disability, PTSD, and a lung disorder were denied by the Board in October 2014. The appeal is currently pending before the Court of Appeals for Veterans' Claims (Court).,The issues of service connection for a lung disorder and an eye/vision disorder are addressed in the REMAND portion of this decision.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and a higher initial disability rating in excess of 20 percent for residuals of prostate cancer. As a result, the Board dismisses these issues.

The Board has determined that additional medical opinions are needed to address the etiology of the Veteran's left ear hearing loss and right ankle condition, as well as to clarify his current psychiatric diagnoses. The claims for service connection on these issues are being remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran should be provided with additional medical examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his psychiatric disorder, right hip disorder, and right knee disorder. The case is remanded for these purposes.

The Veteran's appeal of increased ratings for his sprain of the second digit of the left hand and tinnitus was withdrawn.,Service connection for prostate cancer, urinary incontinence, and an acquired psychiatric disability were denied due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service or service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the failure to provide notification of a rescheduled hearing. The issues of service connection for respiratory disability and acquired psychiatric disorder remain on appeal.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, claimed as a nervous disorder. The case is now remanded to obtain additional medical records and schedule an examination.

The Board found that a chronic acquired psychiatric disability was not manifested in service, and no connection between the Veteran's current psychiatric disabilities and his military service has been established.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining mental health treatment records and scheduling a hearing.

The Veteran's initial evaluations for ischemic heart disease were denied, as the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating. Service connection was also denied for peripheral neuropathy of the right and left upper extremities, and an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for TDIU and Dependents' Educational Assistance benefits, finding that there was no evidence of unemployability prior to September 16, 2002.