Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2018

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as his claimed conditions are not shown to be related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased evaluation of right rotator cuff tendonitis and arthritis was dismissed. The Board also remanded several issues related to service connection, including left shoulder disorder, bilateral hip disorders, acquired psychiatric disorder (depression), hypertension, and a left hand rash.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and consideration of the Veteran's claim regarding an acquired psychiatric disorder, including as due to personal trauma. The AOJ is instructed to locate and consider additional relevant records, particularly a clinical treatment record from June 30, 2003.

The Veteran's left shoulder disability, migraine headaches prior to September 22, 2014, and hypertension have been granted service connection. The Veteran's right knee patellofemoral dysfunction, bilateral plantar fasciitis, and psychiatric disorder are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's PTSD and sleep disturbance are granted service connection. Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability other than PTSD is denied, as the evidence does not support a separate diagnosis of adjustment disorder or anxiety disorder. The issue of service connection for bilateral keratoconus is remanded due to conflicting opinions regarding its etiology.

The Veteran's right knee disability, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and depression), and back disorder were evaluated. The Board found that the evidence did not warrant a higher rating for any of these conditions and remanded several issues including service connection for a left knee disorder, individual unemployability due to service-connected disability (TDIU), and service connection for a back disorder.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for cervical spine disorder and left knee disorder, but has remanded all issues related to service connection due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is denied because there is no current diagnosis of PTSD or any acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete service personnel records and the need for an examination to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's schizophrenia.

An effective date of October 24, 2012 is granted for the grant of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability. The Veteran's claim for earlier effective date for this condition is granted.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and major depressive disorder. The claim for a back disability was denied.

The Board has denied service connection for fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome, finding no evidence of these conditions during the appeal period.,Service connection is also denied for an acquired psychiatric disability (also claimed as anxiety and depression), a muscle disability to include as due to an unspecified undiagnosed illness, and a left leg condition. The Veteran's claims are remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's erectile dysfunction as secondary to his acquired psychiatric disability.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension has been reopened and granted, but the underlying condition is not related to his active military service.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder was denied as there is no evidence of a current disability or relationship to service.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for COPD, frostbite injury to bilateral ears, ischemic heart disease, hypertension, an acquired psychiatric disorder, difficulty sleeping, and bilateral hearing loss due to additional evidence being added to the record.

The VA has decided to remand the cases of increased rating for schizophrenia and TDIU due to new evidence indicating an increase in severity since the last examination.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder other than major depressive disorder, to include PTSD, needs further examination and evaluation. The case is being sent back to VA for a more complete medical opinion.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for paranoid schizophrenia is being remanded due to the lack of treatment records from his time at the Bullock Correctional Facility. The VA will attempt to obtain these records and provide a response.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is granted as service-connected. Hepatitis C and an acquired psychiatric disorder are denied as not related to service.

The Veteran's application to reopen his claim of service connection for sleep apnea was granted. Service connection for sleep apnea secondary to asthma is also granted. The Board has remanded the issue of service connection for a psychiatric disability, including PTSD, as it is unclear whether there is a current diagnosis and if so, whether it is related to an in-service stressor or aggravated by his service-connected sleep apnea.