Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2016

The Veteran's claim for vocational rehabilitation services has been remanded due to the need for additional development, including a review of his current service-connected disabilities and employment status.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a diagnosis of PTSD and finds no evidence to support service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and major depressive disorder.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have PTSD and his current acquired psychiatric disorder is not attributable to service. The appeal was denied as there is no evidence of a diagnosed disability related to service.

The Veteran's service-connected psychiatric disorder and traumatic brain injury have resulted in total occupational and social impairment, warranting a single 100 percent disability rating throughout the appeal period.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to his period of active service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, diabetes mellitus, and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities. The claim for a skin disability claimed as chloracne was not addressed in this decision.

The Veteran's schizophrenia is found to have had its onset during her military service, and the Board grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to address the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions, including their relationship to service-connected disabilities.

The Board found that the evidence is in relative equipoise as to whether an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is etiologically related to the Veteran's period of active service. The claim for service connection has been granted.

The Board has granted service connection for GERD, adjustment disorder with anxiety and depressed mood, and fatigue syndrome. The diagnoses are related to the Veteran's participation in Project SHAD testing during his military service.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU is denied as he did not provide the necessary VA Form 21-8940, Veterans Application for Increased Compensation Based on Unemployability.

The Veteran's skin disability and acquired psychiatric disorder were not shown to have onset during service or be related to service, including as secondary to service-connected alopecia. The Board finds that the preponderance of evidence is against these claims.

The Veteran does not have a current psychiatric disability or diagnosis of PTSD, and the Board finds that there is no evidence to support service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder was denied as there is no evidence of onset during active service or a nexus to service.,The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for diabetes mellitus type II and erectile dysfunction were also denied.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for a left knee disability and granted it, finding that new evidence supports a link between the Veteran's current left knee condition and his service-connected right knee disability. The stomach disability is also found to be secondary to medications used for treatment of service-connected disabilities.,Service connection for depression was not addressed in this decision.

The Board has dismissed the appeal of entitlement to an effective date earlier than October 2, 2009, for the grant of a 20 percent rating for multi-level degenerative disc disease with spondylosis of the cervical spine. The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and dysthymic disorder) and a cognitive disorder have been granted.

The Veteran does not have an acquired psychiatric disorder, other than PTSD, due to his service or a service-connected disability. The Board finds that the preponderance of evidence is against the claim.

The Board denied service connection for right ankle and right knee disorders in February 2007. The Veteran's claims of reopening these issues are still pending.,The Veteran has not submitted new and material evidence to reopen his claim of service connection for a lumbosacral spine disorder, psychiatric disability including PTSD, or tinea cruris.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (mood disorder) and sleep apnea, both of which are found to be related to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's service connection claim for a psychiatric disorder is granted as his current psychiatric disability, characterized as Other Specified Stress- and Trauma-Related Disorder (OSTSRD) with anxiety and depression, is found to be at least as likely as not due to the conceded in-service events.