Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2015

The Board has remanded the case due to missing service treatment records and the need for a VA examination regarding the Veteran's back condition.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to inconsistencies in the Veteran's statements regarding a shooting death of a fellow soldier. Additional records are needed, including VA treatment records and unit records from his service.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that the Veteran's condition was not incurred or aggravated by her military service and is not related to any service-connected disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current disability related to his service for bilateral hearing loss, and there is insufficient evidence linking any diagnosed eye conditions or psychiatric condition to his military service. As such, the claims are denied.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type 2 is currently rated at 20 percent. The claim for PTSD has been reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. Hearing loss and tinnitus are related to service but their exact status remains unknown. Hypertension was not caused by service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss and an acquired psychiatric condition other than Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) have been denied as there is no current evidence of these conditions during the appeal period.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain more recent records and provide him with a VA examination to determine the nature of his claimed conditions, including diabetic retinopathy, low back condition, acquired psychiatric condition (PTSD and depression), and hypertension.

The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for schizophrenia, paranoid type has been withdrawn.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for right ankle disability has been reopened and granted. She is also granted a rating in excess of 10 percent for her migraine headaches from August 4, 2005 to April 7, 2014.,Service connection was established for PTSD due to military sexual trauma during service.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to determine if the Veteran had an acquired psychiatric disability during service and whether any such disability was caused by his active duty military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD due to sexual assault in service, is not incurred or aggravated by her military service.

The Veteran does not have a diagnosis of PTSD, and the evidence fails to suggest that he has any other diagnosed psychiatric disorder that is attributable to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions, including vertigo and an acquired psychiatric disability. The issues on appeal are whether these conditions are related to service or secondary to service-connected ear disabilities.

The Veteran does not have a diagnosed psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, and the Board finds that his claim for service connection is denied.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current condition is related to noise exposure during active duty. The remaining issues of service connection are addressed in the REMAND portion.

The Board has granted service connection for a skin disorder, bilateral knee disability, and psychiatric disability. The Veteran's current conditions are considered to be related to his active military service.

The Veteran's history of congestive heart failure with left ventricular hypertrophy, trace mitral regurgitation, trace tricuspid regurgitation, and mild dilated left atrium is found to be secondary to his service-connected hypertension. The Board finds that the evidence supports a finding that the acquired psychiatric condition (including PTSD, chronic adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood, and depressive disorder) is related to military service.

The Veteran's appeals were withdrawn prior to the Board issuing a decision.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is inextricably intertwined with his nonservice-connected pension claim. Therefore, both claims are being remanded to allow for further development and consideration.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and examination to determine the etiology of the Veteran's psychiatric disabilities, including schizophrenia and mood disturbance.