Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2016

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, anxiety, memory loss, and depression, is related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus. The Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development to confirm his reported stressors and to clarify the nature of his lung disorder. He will also be provided with a VA examination to determine if he has an acquired psychiatric disorder or a lung disorder related to service.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD, finding that the Veteran's claimed stressors are related to his fear of hostile military activity and have been confirmed by a VA psychologist. The issue of major depressive disorder is remanded as it was not addressed in the previous decision.

The Board found that the Veteran does not meet the DSM-IV criteria for a diagnosis of PTSD and concluded that his current acquired psychiatric disorder, other than PTSD, is not related to service. The Veteran's symptoms are attributed to non-service-related factors such as financial difficulties and marital issues.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including contacting the Veteran and scheduling a VA examination. The appeal is pending until further notice.

The VA examiner determined that the Veteran's left shoulder osteoarthritis and glenohumeral joint osteoarthritis are less likely than not caused by or resulting from military service, including his receipt of anthrax vaccination in February and March 2003.,The VA examiner also concluded that there is no link between the Veteran's anxiety disorder and his military activity (including as due to the in-service February and March 2003 anthrax vaccinations), nor can it be made with regard to aggravation of his service-connected gastrointestinal disorder.

The Board has remanded the case due to errors in correspondence and scheduling, including a hearing.

The Board found that the Veteran does not meet the diagnostic criteria for PTSD and therefore denied service connection for PTSD. The acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD was also denied as there is no current diagnosis of such condition in the record.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disability, including PTSD, depression, and paranoid schizophrenia. This includes obtaining VA treatment records from September 2015 to the present, scheduling the Veteran for a VA psychiatric examination, and ensuring all pertinent laws and regulations are considered in the decision.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for a higher rating for tinnitus and service connection for hepatitis C, right ear condition other than hearing loss, and bilateral hearing loss. The claim of service connection for PTSD was granted.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's lumbar spine disorder, finding that it was aggravated during active service. The remaining issues of service connection for psychiatric disability, skin disorder, bilateral plantar fasciitis, and bilateral flat feet are remanded.

The Board found that there was clear and unmistakable error in the August 1977 decision which denied restoration of service connection for a psychiatric disability, and granted service connection for schizophrenia effective May 17, 1978.

The Board dismissed all service connection claims due to the Veteran's withdrawal of his appeals.

The Board denied service connection for a sacral/coccygeal strain and an acquired psychiatric disorder, as well as the claim for a higher rating for thoracolumbar spine disability.

The Board has granted service connection for tension headaches, vertigo, and insomnia as residuals of traumatic brain injury (TBI), but denied service connection for cognitive deficits and psychiatric disorder as residuals of TBI.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining records of inpatient treatment and an updated VA examination to address the relationship between his current diagnoses and service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for low back disorder, left hip disorder, left leg condition, acquired psychiatric disorder (including major depression), and migraine headaches have been denied as the evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to his military service or any service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to incomplete examination reports and other procedural issues.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current psychiatric disability is aggravated by his service-connected adenocarcinoma of the prostate and erectile dysfunction, thus granting service connection for this aggravation.

The Veteran's combined disability rating is 90 percent, with service-connected disabilities that do not preclude him from obtaining or maintaining any form of substantially gainful employment consistent with his occupational experience and educational background.