Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2016

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for anxiety, bilateral hearing loss, and vertigo. The claim for service connection for anxiety was denied as there is no diagnosed condition separate from his already service-connected cognitive impairment or dementia due to Parkinson's disease. The claim for bilateral hearing loss was denied as there is no currently diagnosed disability. The claim for vertigo remains pending.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB), and an acquired psychiatric disorder. The decision found no evidence of current disabilities related to these conditions.

The Board found no evidence of a diagnosed left ankle disability and denied the Veteran's claim for service connection.

The Veteran's Parkinson's disease is presumed to have been incurred in service due to exposure to herbicide agents (Agent Orange). The Veteran's psychiatric disability, including schizophrenia and PTSD, is also presumed to be related to his military service.

The Board denied service connection for schizophrenia, concluding that the condition existed prior to service and was not aggravated by service. The decision did not discuss the presumption of soundness.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, other than major depression with undifferentiated somatoform disorder. The Veteran's private physician diagnosed him with anxiety in the 1980s, and a VA examination was conducted to determine its nature and etiology.

The Board has determined that service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and a neck disability is not warranted based on the evidence of record.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development due to the need for a new VA examination and clarification of certain medical opinions.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the Board does not have jurisdiction to review the claims.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the failure to provide proper notice of a change in his hearing request. The case will be returned to the Board for further action.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD, as well as for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and depression), based on verified in-service stressors. The Veteran's right maxilla disorder is denied due to lack of current evidence. Service connection for a neck disorder was not addressed.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for a VA examination and clarification of private audiological examinations. The issues of hypertension, chronic kidney disease, and PTSD are inextricably intertwined.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypoparathyroidism and an acquired psychiatric disorder, as well as her claim for a compensable rating for service-connected deviated nasal septum.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's chronic bilateral knee disability was not incurred in or aggravated by service. The claim for service connection is denied.

The Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of an acquired psychiatric disability to include PTSD, and the Board finds that service connection is not warranted for such condition.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and medical assessments of the Veteran's functional capacity due to his service-connected disabilities. The TDIU claim will be reconsidered based on this additional evidence.

The Board has denied service connection for low back, psychiatric, right hip, and right knee disabilities as secondary to residuals of a left medial malleolus fracture.

The Board found that the Appellant does not have a diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) related to an in-service PTSD stressor event and concluded that his acquired psychiatric condition is not related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for schizophrenia, paranoid type was granted effective May 8, 2009. The Board found that a factually ascertainable increase in the disability occurred within one year of his May 8, 2009 claim.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the claims for service connection for PTSD, an acquired psychiatric disability other than PTSD, and sleep apnea. The reopened claim for an acquired psychiatric disability other than PTSD is addressed in the REMAND portion of this decision.