Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2015

The Veteran is granted eligibility for financial assistance in the purchase of an automobile or other conveyance and adaptive equipment, as his service-connected low back injury has resulted in loss of use of both lower extremities. The special home adaptation grant claim is denied due to the Veteran's entitlement to specially adapted housing. Higher rates of SMC are granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development and consideration of his claims, including a TBI examination and adjudication of the psychiatric disorder claim.

The Board has remanded the case for a videoconference hearing due to the Veteran's request.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's sleep apnea is secondary to his service-connected rhinitis, and he does not have a deviated septum or fatigue. The low back disorder was reopened on new evidence, but no other conditions were found to be related to service.

The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for a psychiatric disorder is dismissed as there was no pending claim for service connection at the time of the June 1976 rating decision.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including scheduling a VA examination and issuing a statement of the case on several issues.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and a chronic residual disability of a neck injury are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining in-service treatment records.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and other diagnosed conditions. The decision found that there was no evidence of a current disability meeting diagnostic criteria for PTSD or any other condition, and that the stressor related to his employment in firearms sales did not meet the requirements for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, and hypertension were denied. The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of PTSD and his other psychiatric disorders are attributed to post-service events.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including General Anxiety Disorder and Adjustment Disorder with Anxiety and Depression. The decision is based on the reopening of the claim due to new evidence.

The Board is unable to make a final determination on the service connection claims due to insufficient evidence, and has therefore remanded for further development.

The Board has determined that service connection is not warranted for bilateral hearing loss as defined by VA standards. The Veteran's puretone thresholds have never met the criteria for a disability during this appeal period.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for plantar warts of the feet was denied as there is no evidence showing that his condition covered at least 5 percent of his entire body or exposed areas, and did not require systemic therapy such as corticosteroids. The Board found that the current schedular evaluation adequately captures the Veteran's symptoms.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed before the case can be properly adjudicated, including obtaining updated VA medical records and scheduling a VA psychiatric examination.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for sinusitis, gastrointestinal disorder (GERD), and an acquired psychiatric disorder (anxiety) on a secondary basis to his service-connected allergic rhinitis. The evidence did not support a finding of chronic sinusitis or GERD in service or within one year of separation from service, nor did it support a finding that the Veteran's service-connected allergic rhinitis caused or aggravated these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical opinions and examinations, as well as to ensure that all relevant evidence has been considered in the adjudication of his claims.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to substantiate his claims of service connection for PTSD, diabetes mellitus, and a skin disorder.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims of service connection for sleep apnea and an acquired psychiatric disorder. The case will be remanded to allow for further examination and opinion.

The Board denied the claim as there is no medical evidence linking a psychiatric condition to service, and thus denying service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's appeal involves multiple service-connected disabilities, including psychiatric disability, asthma, hemorrhoids, Morton's neuroma, sinusitis, hypertension, right and left shoulder disabilities, a right knee disability, otitis media, rhinitis, costochondritis, GERD, headaches, and left testicle epididymitis. The Veteran does not have hearing loss as defined by VA regulations.