Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2017

The Board found that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, bipolar disorder, was not incurred in or aggravated by service and is not secondary to a service-connected back disability.

The VA determined that the Veteran's service-connected schizophrenia did not contribute to his death, and neither did any other service-connected condition. The Board agreed with this determination.

The maximum level of compensation for prurigo nodularis has been awarded, and additional compensation cannot be granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, specifically schizoaffective disorder, depressive type, was aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus, hypertension, nephropathy and erectile dysfunction. As a result, the claim for secondary service connection is granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have residuals of a head injury or an acquired psychiatric disorder related to service, and thus denied his claim.

The Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of a bilateral lower extremity neurological disability, and there is no evidence to support service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and further investigation is needed.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and conducting examinations.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that new and material evidence supports reopening of his claim. The condition is presumed to have been incurred in service.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for PTSD and acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD. However, the evidence does not meet the criteria for a diagnosis of PTSD as required by the DSM-5.,Service connection was denied for hyperkeratotic lesions of the bilateral feet and hallux rigidus of the left foot due to lack of credible supporting evidence that the claimed in-service stressors occurred.

The Board found that the reduction of the evaluation for left knee disability from 20 percent to 10 percent effective January 1, 2015 was not proper. The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder claim is remanded due to insufficient development.

The Veteran is seeking an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD with depression. Additionally, he/she is requesting a review to determine if there was clear and unmistakable error in previous rating decisions denying service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current hypertension is aggravated by his service-connected low back disability and its prescribed medications. The Board also found that the Veteran's current diagnosis of PTSD is caused by in-service military sexual trauma (MST).

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and researching environmental exposure during his service.

The Veteran's tinnitus is related to service and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as generalized anxiety disorder, is related to service and he was granted service connection for this condition. His claims for migraine headaches were not supported by the evidence presented.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is etiologically related to in-service acoustic trauma and grants service connection for this condition. The claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder remains pending as it was not addressed regarding service connection.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired mental disorder, including paranoid schizophrenia and bipolar disorder with psychotic features. The new evidence received since the last denial supports reopening of this claim.

The Board has determined that the evidence currently of record is sufficient to substantiate the Veteran's claim for entitlement to an earlier effective date for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with bipolar disorder. The Veteran initiated a claim in October 1991 and his claim was finally denied by the Board in September 2002 due to unverified claimed in-service stressors. Since then, relevant official service records have been submitted that corroborate the Veteran's in-service stressors, leading to an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric condition, to include depression, is denied as there is no evidence of a nexus to service or a service-connected disability. The Veteran's bilateral pes planus is currently rated at the maximum allowable under the applicable rating criteria and thus an increased rating is not warranted. The Veteran's TDIU claim prior to July 26, 2012, is denied as he does not meet the schedular requirements for a TDIU.