Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2015

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional examinations and to obtain relevant VA treatment records.

The Board found that the Veteran's current health issues, including residuals of a head injury and organic mental disorder, dizziness, black-outs, and/or impaired concentration, are not related to his service or any incident therein. The claim for service connection was denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's Congestive Heart Failure, acquired psychiatric disorder (including Adjustment Disorder with Mixed Anxiety and Depressed Mood), and Peptic Ulcer Disorder were not incurred or aggravated during his military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of gunshot wounds to the left upper and lower abdomen, left lower chest, left side back of head, and left upper leg is denied as there is no evidence of such injuries. The Veteran's schizophrenia, undifferentiated type, results in total occupational and social impairment but does not meet the criteria for a 100% rating due to lack of persistent delusions or hallucinations.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including psychiatric disorders, diabetes mellitus, retinopathy, knee and back disorders, hypertension, genitourinary issues, skin conditions, arthritis, traumatic brain injury, fibromyalgia, Reiter's syndrome, autoimmune disorder, hand and elbow disorders, and kidney problems. The decision also denied a temporary total rating for convalescence purposes due to right thumb fracture.

The Veteran's tinnitus and anxiety/depression have been granted service connection, but his PTSD claim has not met the criteria for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for acquired psychiatric disability (PTSD), skin disability, bilateral varicose veins of the lower extremities, and bilateral degenerative joint disease of the lower extremities are denied as there is no credible evidence linking these conditions to service or exposure to Agent Orange.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and development of records.

The Veteran does not have a current disability of bilateral hearing loss, and his psychiatric disability is presumed to be related to service. The left eye condition needs further clarification regarding its nature (disease or defect) and whether it was aggravated by service.

The Veteran's service connection claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss have been granted. The decision also found that the Veteran's PTSD is related to military sexual trauma during her service.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for various disabilities, including hearing loss, tinnitus, and psychiatric conditions. The AOJ has ordered additional examinations to determine the nature and etiology of these claims.,The Veteran also seeks increased ratings for his left thumb injury and left eye injury.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to include obtaining service personnel records, updated treatment records, and a VA examination to assess the nature and etiology of his respiratory disability and psychiatric disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for squamous cell carcinoma and an acquired psychiatric disorder were denied. The claim for a skin rash was not adjudicated as it did not meet the one-year filing requirement.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), is related to his active duty service and grants this claim.

The Board has determined that service connection is warranted for tinnitus, finding it at least as likely as not that the Veteran's tinnitus originated during his active duty.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and consideration, including a VA psychiatric examination to determine the etiology of any current psychiatric disorder, including schizophrenia. The Veteran's claim will be readjudicated based on the additional evidence obtained.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is found to be caused or aggravated by his service-connected disabilities, including his foot and ankle conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including new VA examinations and medical opinions regarding his claims of tinnitus, an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as major depressive disorder), and eczema of the feet.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional actions, including scheduling a hearing and obtaining an examination to assess the etiology of his squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx.

The Veteran does not have a diagnosis of PTSD in accordance with the DSM-5. A diagnosis of depressive disorder is shown but the weight of the evidence is against a finding that it relates to active service.