Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2016

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a psychiatric disorder and stomach disorder are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining private medical records and providing VA examinations.

The Veteran's PTSD with chronic schizophrenia has been rated at 70 percent since August 8, 2007. The effective date for the TDIU benefits cannot be earlier than the effective date of the grant of service connection for PTSD.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a pelvic disorder has been dismissed as the claim is moot due to the grant of service connection in a February 2015 rating decision.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's claims for service connection of myotonic dystrophy, a psychiatric disorder (anxiety/depression), gastrointestinal disorder (chronic pancreatitis), dermatological and/or allergic disorder affecting the bilateral hands, and neurological disorder (paralysis agitans). The appeals are granted.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and the need for a VA medical opinion regarding the Veteran's psychiatric symptoms and their relation to in-service parachute training.

The Board found that the Veteran did not have a current psychiatric disorder (other than a personality disorder) and therefore, service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder was denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for appropriate VA examinations to assess his service-connected psychiatric disorder and headache disorder.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence of an acquired psychiatric disability, to include PTSD, during the appeal period and thus service connection cannot be granted.

The Veteran's GERD and acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed depression) are found to be related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current acquired psychiatric disorder, bilateral knee disability, and traumatic brain injury residuals are not related to his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for cramping of the upper and lower extremities and a chronic acquired psychiatric disorder to include PTSD, finding that these conditions were not incurred in or aggravated by service nor caused or aggravated by a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II has been rated at 20 percent since November 2006. Effective August 2015, the rating is increased to 40 percent.,Service connection for hypertension was denied as not due to herbicide exposure or being secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus type II.,Service connection for hepatitis A has been denied.,Service connection for a skin disorder has been denied.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (depression and trypanophobia) has been denied. Service connection was granted for PTSD, but the Veteran's claim for service connection of his acquired psychiatric disorder as secondary to PTSD remains pending.,Service connection for alcoholism as secondary to PTSD has not been established.,TDIU was denied.

The Veteran's back disability, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, diabetes mellitus, type II, peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, and acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD) are all found to be related to service.,Service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a heart disability and an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, were denied as there was no evidence of in-service disease or injury that could be linked to the current conditions. The Board found insufficient evidence of verified stressors for the PTSD claim.

The Board found that the Veteran's multiple myeloma was not incurred in service and denied his claim for service connection. The Board also determined there is no evidence of a diagnosed psychiatric/mental disorder, thus denying his secondary service connection claim.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary in order to obtain the Veteran's medical records and determine the current severity of his service-connected right heel disability. The claims for obesity and an acquired psychiatric disorder will also be reviewed as part of this process.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including scheduling a Board videoconference hearing.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, bilateral ankle disability, sinus disability, and right shoulder disability due to new and material evidence. The effective date of these decisions is not specified.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development and further appellate review due to outstanding records, including U.S. Railroad Retirement Board or Social Security Administration records, and VA examination.

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to missing in-service hospitalization records and VA treatment records, as well as clarification on private audiogram results.