Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2015

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to his request for a videoconference hearing. The claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, PTSD, and an acquired psychiatric disorder will be considered further.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD. The evidence received since the February 2004 rating decision relates to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim and raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating the underlying claims.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine his exposure to herbicides and service in Vietnam, as well as the nature of any psychiatric disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected hepatitis B does not warrant a compensable disability rating under Diagnostic Code 7345, as there is no evidence of active hepatitis or incapacitating episodes. The Veteran's symptoms are attributed to other causes.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to his incarceration, and a hearing request needs to be accommodated in accordance with VA procedures.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for a respiratory disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The acquired psychiatric disorders are also granted as service connected.

The Board has determined that the Veteran meets the criteria for service connection for an adjustment disorder. The issue of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, other than an adjustment disorder, will be further developed and adjudicated.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to her request for a video conference hearing. The Board will schedule the requested hearing at the St. Louis, Missouri RO.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder and low back disorder are not related to his active military service. The claim for service connection is denied.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability was granted increased ratings from 10 to 20 percent disabling effective July 17, 2009, and then again from 20 to 40 percent disabling effective February 15, 2011. The Veteran also received a grant of an increased rating for his right shoulder scar.

The most probative evidence is against finding that the Veteran's current psychiatric diagnoses are etiologically related to active service. The Board found no verified in-service PTSD stressor and there was no evidence of psychiatric symptomatology during service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, skin disorder, and respiratory disorder is denied. The Board finds that the evidence does not establish current diagnoses of these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, anxiety disorder, sleep apnea, and hypertension have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a diagnosis of PTSD due to lack of combat experience, and there was no credible supporting evidence of an in-service stressor. Sleep apnea and hypertension were also not shown to be related to service-connected conditions.

The Board found that the Veteran's psychiatric disability, including PTSD, was not incurred or aggravated by active service and did not meet the criteria for presumptive service connection under VA laws.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a penis disability and an increased rating for his right inguinal hernia are being remanded. Additionally, the issue of whether new and material evidence has been presented to reopen his claim for service connection for depression is also being remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran remains not competent to handle the disbursement of his VA funds due to his service-connected paranoid schizophrenia, which causes him to lack mental capacity.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for lupus and an acquired psychiatric condition to include memory loss as secondary to service-connected lupus are both granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a diagnosed psychiatric disability related to service, specifically PTSD and depressive disorder. The claim for bilateral hearing loss is being remanded as there are issues with the current evidence.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD.

The Veteran's service connection claims for primary substance abuse and an acquired psychiatric disability other than primary substance abuse are denied as the law precludes compensation for these types of disabilities.