Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2015

The Board has granted service connection for left knee disability and psychiatric disability, including anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), both secondary to the residuals of a traumatic brain injury (TBI).

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD has been remanded. The issue of service connection for schizophrenia, paranoid type and the reopening of a claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD have also been remanded.,A VA examination is needed to assess the current severity of the Veteran's PTSD and determine its etiology as well as any other psychiatric disorders (other than PTSD). The examiner should provide opinions regarding whether these conditions are related to service, secondary to a service-connected disability, or aggravated by a service-connected disability.

The Board finds that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of PTSD or any other service-connected psychiatric disorder, and his mood disorder is not related to service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to assess the severity of his right foot disability and issuance of a statement of the case concerning effective dates and service connection claims.

The Board found that a chronic acquired psychiatric disability other than PTSD was not manifested in service, and any such current disability is not shown to be related to the Veteran's service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD and depressive disorder, is related to his military service. The claim for service connection is granted.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, depression, schizophrenia, and memory loss. The claims for bilateral ankle arthralgias, bilateral knee arthritis, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus have been granted.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional development of evidence, including VA treatment records and Social Security Administration (SSA) disability benefits records. A psychiatric examination is needed to determine the nature and likely etiology of his variously diagnosed psychiatric disability, and an orthopedic examination is needed to assess the current severity of his service-connected right and left knee disabilities.

The Board found that the Veteran's low back disability was not incurred or aggravated in active service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, to include PTSD due to alleged military sexual trauma, and a bilateral foot disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral knee disability is related to service, but his acquired psychiatric disorder is not. Service connection for the knee condition is granted, while service connection for the psychiatric disorder is denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability and increased rating for left knee enthesophyte, status post crush injury. The TDIU claim was also denied.

The Veteran's COPD is found to be at least as likely as not due to asbestos exposure during service, and the heart disability and acquired psychiatric disorder are found to be at least as likely as not aggravated by his service-connected COPD. Service connection for these conditions is granted.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling VA examinations. The Veteran's claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD and higher ratings for bilateral pes planus are pending.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine is attributable to his active duty service, and thus grants service connection for this condition. The issue regarding an acquired psychiatric disorder remains pending.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his right foot fracture is denied as the evidence does not show that his disability meets or approximates the criteria for a higher rating. The Veteran's service-connected right shoulder injury with degenerative joint disease and cervical spine degenerative disc disease are rated based on their current manifestations, which do not warrant a higher rating.

The Veteran's low back degenerative disc disease is found to be at least as likely as not caused by her service-connected left knee arthritis. The claims for higher ratings of the left knee disabilities and for service connection for a psychiatric disability are granted.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a new opinion from the VA examiner regarding whether knowledge of the stressor incident is sufficient to produce PTSD and if there is a link between the Veteran's current symptomatology and the stressor incident. The claim will be readjudicated based on this additional evidence.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection and TDIU has been granted, with the effective dates set at February 16, 1984, and December 4, 1995 respectively.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for anxiety, stress, depression, and PTSD due to his period of active service was denied as there is no evidence of a diagnosed psychiatric disability that meets the criteria for service connection.