Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2018

The Board has decided that the Veteran's psychiatric disability requires a higher initial rating and TDIU, and has ordered additional development to determine these issues.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an unspecified anxiety disorder is granted, and the claim for reopening of his original claim for service connection for PTSD and unspecified anxiety disorder is also granted.

The Board has reopened claims for service connection for back condition, left eye condition, GERD, acquired psychiatric disorder, arthritis, right leg pain, and left ankle pain. The claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for impairment of the right knee is remanded, as is the claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for Osgood Schlatter's Disease of the right knee.

All issues are remanded for further development. The Veteran needs to provide records of his right hip treatment around 1981 and SSA records. A VA examination is needed for the right hip, hypertension, and psychiatric disorders.,The Veteran's leg amputation claim requires an addendum opinion from a clinician addressing whether VA negligence caused or foreseeable additional disability.

The Board has granted the reopening of the claim for service connection of PTSD, but denied the reopening of the claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder. The case is remanded to obtain VA and private treatment records and schedule a psychiatric examination.

The appeal was dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Veteran's claim for left knee disability has been reopened, but the issue remains remanded due to a need for further development.,The Veteran's claim for PTSD was previously denied and reopened. The Board finds that service connection is warranted based on evidence linking current symptoms to in-service stressors.,The right knee disability claim is being remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the left knee disability claim.,The Veteran’s COPD rating remains at 30 percent, but a new VA examination is needed to determine if an increased rating is warranted.

The Board has remanded several issues, including service connection for various conditions and an initial rating for chronic fatigue syndrome. Additional VA records are needed, and a psychiatric examination is required.

The Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, related to military sexual trauma (MST), is granted. The Board found sufficient evidence to support the Veteran's claims and determined that his current mental health disabilities are linked to his in-service MST.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as PTSD, generalized anxiety disorder, major depressive disorder), and a low back disability due to lack of evidence showing in-service injury or disease.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and diabetes mellitus, finding that the evidence did not support a link to service or exposure to herbicide agents.

The Veteran's claims for service connection related to heart disability, right leg disability, urinary condition, bilateral feet disability, and acquired psychiatric disorder are remanded due to the loss of his VA claims file.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right leg disability is remanded as there was no VA examination provided. The Veteran has reported symptoms of shin pain during service.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for urinary condition is remanded as he did not receive a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his condition, including whether it is related to exposure to herbicide agents.,The Veteran's claims for bilateral feet disability are remanded due to lack of VA examinations. The Veteran has reported symptoms such as tumors and numbness in his feet during service.,The Veteran's claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder is remanded as he did not receive a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his condition, including whether it is related to personal assault.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral shin splints, a respiratory disorder, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board dismissed the claim of entitlement to compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for Hepatitis C due to the Veteran's withdrawal at his August 2017 hearing. The remaining issues, including service connection and increased ratings for left knee disability, are remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder has been reopened due to the submission of new evidence.,Service connection for glaucoma remains denied as no new and material evidence was received.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, and the Board has determined that there is at least as likely as not a relationship between his TBI and groin injury residuals and his active duty service. The Veteran's stomach disorder and acquired psychiatric disorder are also found to be related to his service. However, the issues of entitlement to a rating in excess of 10% for wrist disorder and TDIU remain pending.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims of service connection for recurrent headaches, frostbite, arthritis, and a neurological disability. The new evidence submitted by the Veteran relates to an unestablished element of these claims and raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating them.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including arthritis, olecranon bursitis of both elbows, low back disability, left and right hip disabilities, Lyme disease, Lupus, pulmonary embolism and infarction, erectile dysfunction as secondary to diabetes, and an acquired psychiatric disorder. The remand also includes a request for additional VA treatment records and medical opinions.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral knee disability and right shoulder disability. The claims are now remanded for further development, including obtaining medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened and granted. The acquired psychiatric disorder is now rated at 10 percent, and a separate rating of 10 percent has been assigned for gastric ulcers.