Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2018

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for PTSD was withdrawn. His right ankle condition is granted as service-connected, but the lumbosacral spine DDD with mild disc bulge at L4-L5 and L5 S1 does not warrant a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient development and examination. The Veteran's knee and hip disorders are not found to be related to his service-connected bilateral pes planus, and the psychiatric disorder is not found to be proximately due or aggravated by his service-connected disability.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient evidence and for further development.

The Board denied service connection for a left knee disability, left foot disability, and bilateral hearing loss. The claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder was granted but the issue is recharacterized as PTSD.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (likely PTSD) is granted.

Service connection for a bilateral foot condition, to include pes planus is granted. Entitlement to an initial evaluation of 10 percent disabling for status post small bowel obstruction is also granted. Service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition, to include depression and PTSD, is remanded.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for hearing loss due to new and material evidence. The claims for residuals of a perforated left ear drum, sleep disorder (including sleep apnea), and psychiatric disability (including posttraumatic stress disorder) are also remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is granted. The appeal seeking an earlier effective date for the grant of right knee disability is dismissed as moot due to the revision of the September 1983 rating decision on CUE. Service connection for various conditions including cervical spine, bilateral hip disorder, left leg condition, and psychiatric disorders are remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether it was caused by the Veteran's active duty service.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss, kidney disorder, and PTSD have been granted. Bilateral hearing loss is presumed due to in-service noise exposure. The kidney disorder is not related to service or a service-connected condition. PTSD was incurred during active service.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including nephrolithiasis, squamous cell cancer of the left ear, neck, and face, diabetes mellitus type II, an acquired psychiatric disability (PTSD and MDD), bilateral hearing loss, and individual unemployability. The remand requires additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD and major depressive disorder, has been granted. The cervical spine, left knee, right knee, and headaches (including migraines) claims are pending and need further evaluation.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic paranoid schizophrenia and PTSD was granted with an effective date of September 30, 1998. The issue of earlier effective date for DEA benefits is inextricably intertwined with the rating assigned for this period.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for additional examinations.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right shoulder disability and an acquired psychiatric disorder (anxiety). The denial was based on lack of new and material evidence, as well as insufficient evidence to establish that any current conditions are related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of vertigo and/or staggering, nor did he during the appeal period. The claim for service connection is denied.,The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was evaluated as level II in both ears at all relevant points in time, resulting in a noncompensable evaluation throughout the appeal period.

The Veteran's tinnitus is being remanded for a VA examination to determine its etiology.,The Veteran's stomach problems are being remanded for a VA examination to determine their nature and etiology.,The Veteran's chest problems are being remanded for a VA examination to determine their nature and etiology.,The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is being remanded for a VA examination to determine its nature and etiology.,The Veteran's headaches are being remanded for a VA examination to determine their nature and etiology.,The Veteran's right leg condition is being remanded for a VA examination to determine its nature and etiology.,The Veteran's left leg condition is being remanded for a VA examination to determine its nature and etiology.,The Veteran's sleep apnea is being remanded for a VA examination to determine its nature and etiology.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include schizophrenia and PTSD, is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability related to service.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability due to new evidence submitted since the December 2008 rating decision. The claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, bladder cancer, and hypothyroidism are also REMANDED as there is insufficient medical evidence on file to make a determination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for right knee pain, Achilles tendonitis (claimed as bilateral heel pain), a sleep disorder, and an acquired psychiatric disorder. The issues are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for peripheral artery disease, stroke, abdominal aortic aneurysm, heart condition (pacemaker, heart attack, stints [sic], bypass, dying heart/complete vascular system failing), and acquired psychiatric disability (PTSD and anxiety with panic attacks).