Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2016

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining VA mental health treatment records and scheduling a new VA psychiatric examination to determine if any diagnosed acquired psychiatric disorder is related to service or service-connected disability.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and a psychiatric disability, specifically dysthymia.,Service connection is established for the Veteran's current hearing loss due to in-service noise exposure.

The Board found that the evidence is in relative equipoise as to whether the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is related to his active duty service, and thus granted the claim of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including PTSD and an acquired psychiatric disorder. The initial rating for diabetes mellitus was also denied.

The Board granted service connection for schizophrenia and assigned an effective date of September 8, 1992. The Veteran's claim was received on that date.

The Board has granted service connection for a TBI and remanded the remaining claims due to need for additional development.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary in order to make a decision on the Veteran's claims for service connection. This includes obtaining VA examinations regarding his claimed acquired psychiatric condition, bronchitis, and right leg condition.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence of an acquired psychiatric disability, bilateral hearing loss, or a back disability related to service. The claim for service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD, finding that the Veteran's current diagnosis is related to his military sexual trauma during active duty. The low back disorder claim remains pending as a new examination and opinion are required.

The Veteran's psychiatric disability is found to be etiologically related to his service-connected back disabilities and resulting chronic pain.,Service connection for hypertension as secondary to service-connected back disabilities was denied.

The Board found that the Veteran's current psychiatric disabilities, including PTSD and depressive disorder, were not related to service. The alleged sexual and physical assaults during recruit training were deemed not credible, and there was no evidence of a nexus between any current psychiatric disability and service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining treatment records and attempting to corroborate his in-service stressors. He also needs a VA examination for his eye disability and psychiatric disorder.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining a new VA examination and ensuring that all pertinent medical records are associated with the claims file.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including new VA examinations and the procurement of relevant medical records.

The Board has granted service connection for DM and PTSD, as well as for low back disability. The Veteran's other claims are pending further development.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative joint disease, lumbar spine. The issue of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD) is pending and will be addressed in the remand portion.

The Board found that the Veteran's claimed acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD, were not shown to be related to service. The claim for alcohol dependence was denied as it is considered a result of willful misconduct.

The Veteran's claim for an increased initial disability rating for his service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, is being remanded due to the need for additional VA treatment records and a contemporaneous VA mental disorders examination.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension and found that the Veteran did not have hypertension in service or within one year thereafter.,The Board also denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including major depressive disorder, alcoholism, or posttraumatic stress disorder. The claim was reopened based on new evidence but the Board concluded that the current condition is less likely due to service.