Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2017

The Board has remanded the claims for further development due to the need for clarification of speech test used by private audiologists and a new VA examination.

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

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for schizophrenia and granted it. The Veteran's schizophrenia is found to have started during his active service, meeting the criteria for direct service connection. The issue of non-service connected pension benefits was withdrawn by the Veteran prior to a decision being made.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, right knee disability, and back disability are found to be aggravated by his service-connected disabilities. Service connection is granted for these conditions on a secondary basis.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have an acquired psychiatric disorder due to any incident of his active duty service and denied all other claims for service connection.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, claimed as PTSD, is not related to service and the Board finds that it was not incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is denied, but he is granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, diagnosed as trauma related anxiety.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to their passing away, and the Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this appeal at this time.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have any service-connected disabilities for which he is seeking benefits, and therefore, his claims of entitlement to service connection for hypertension (HTN), bilateral hearing loss, sleep apnea, and an acquired psychiatric disorder are denied. The Veteran's contentions regarding these conditions were found insufficient to meet the burden of proof.

The Board has granted service connection for major depressive disorder as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected lumbar strain and right lower extremity radiculopathy. The claims of service connection for PTSD, sleep apnea, and an increased rating for lumbar strain are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to obtain medical records and provide a VA examination regarding his claimed disabilities.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and a current psychiatric disability, finding that there is no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has ordered a remand for further development due to the Veteran's failure to appear for a VA examination. The case will be returned to the AOJ for readjudication.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD and major depressive disorder, are not related to service. The evidence does not support a finding of in-service noise exposure or other causation.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic acquired psychiatric disorder, including posttraumatic stress disorder due to his incarceration and inability to attend a VA examination. The case is now pending further development.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining outstanding VA treatment records and readjudicating the issues on appeal. The case will be returned to the Board after this development.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development regarding his claims of service connection and increased ratings.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus and a head injury with resultant TBI with residual vertigo and visual disability are attributable to service. The claim for PTSD is also granted as it is related to fear of hostile military activity during service.

The Board found no evidence of a traumatic brain injury or acquired psychiatric disorder during service. The Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal has been remanded for additional development, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the etiology of his cognitive disorder or acquired psychiatric condition.