Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2016

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA psychiatric treatment records and scheduling a new VA examination to determine if the Veteran currently suffers from PTSD related to his fear of hostile military or terrorist activity while on active duty. The examiner should also opine whether any acquired psychiatric disorder is related to the Veteran's period of active military service.

The Board has determined that the effective date for the grant of service connection for PTSD with major depressive disorder, anxiety, depression, and other mental disorder is September 8, 2011. The Veteran's claim was received on this date, which is later than when he had been diagnosed with these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination. The claims of service connection for schizophrenia, depression, and headaches are also being reconsidered.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, left knee disability, and lumbar spine disability were granted. The Veteran was also awarded a higher rating for her residuals of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and migraine headaches.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including determining whether military records demonstrate evidence of asbestos exposure during service and obtaining a medical opinion on the relationship between any diagnosed conditions and service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, and a claim for increased rating for right knee tendonitis.

The Veteran's migraine headaches are found to be related to service, and the claim for service connection is granted.,The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD (including panic disorder with agoraphobia) is found to be related to service, and the claim for service connection is granted.,The Veteran's residuals of a fractured nose to include sinusitis are found to be related to service, and the claim for service connection is granted.

The Veteran's appeal includes claims for various conditions, including coronary artery disease, migraine headaches, lumbosacral spine strain, and an acquired psychiatric disorder. The RO has already granted a 100% rating for coronary artery disease effective October 30, 2014. Other issues remain pending.

The Veteran's paranoid schizophrenia was productive of occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas prior to September 5, 2007. The Board granted a 30 percent rating for the period from July 14, 2005 to September 4, 2007.

The Board finds that there is no current diagnosis of residuals of a vaginal injury other than an acquired psychiatric disorder. The claim for service connection for such condition is denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD and an acquired psychiatric disorder is being remanded due to the need to verify a claimed stressor and conduct further medical examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss and found that new and material evidence had not been presented to reopen his claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD. The issue of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability is addressed in the remand portion.

The Veteran seeks service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, specifically post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The Board has determined that the issue should be remanded to obtain additional medical opinions and evidence.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and a need to review all evidence, including an April 2008 private neuropsychological examination report. The Veteran's service connection claim for schizophrenia remains under consideration.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss, right eye conjunctivitis and vision loss, an acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD, depression, anxiety), and headaches have been granted. The claim for increased rating for right cornea scar has also been granted with a 10% disability rating.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development of the record, including consideration of additional VA treatment records submitted by the Veteran.

The Veteran's tinnitus is likely related to his period of active service, and the Board finds service connection for tinnitus is warranted.

The Board found that the Veteran's psychiatric, right knee, and left knee disabilities were not related to service. The claims for these conditions have been denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including pseudofolliculitis barbae, acquired psychiatric disability, bilateral knee and hearing loss, burn scar disability, obstructive sleep apnea, TBI, high blood pressure, back disability, and tinnitus. The effective date for the grant of service connection for pseudofolliculitis barbae was not earlier than September 27, 2012.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for left ear hearing loss disability and psychiatric disability, finding no evidence linking these conditions to his military service. The claim for high blood pressure as secondary to a psychiatric disability is deferred pending resolution of the psychiatric claim.