Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2018

The Veteran's appeals have been withdrawn and the claims of entitlement to service connection for various conditions, as well as initial rating claims, are dismissed.

The Veteran was granted a Total Disability Rating for his acquired psychiatric disability from May 1, 1999 to July 11, 2012. From July 11, 2012 onwards, the Veteran's claim for a TDIU based on IBS alone is denied.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for a lumbar spine disability, hypertension, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to inadequate opinions from VA examiners. The Veteran is seeking service connection for these conditions based on his active duty service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation for the entire appeal period, with marginal employment established as of February 15, 2017.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, an acquired psychiatric disability, peripheral vestibular disorder, and a headache disorder were denied. The claim for service connection for bilateral lower extremity neuropathy was not addressed as it is not related to his service-connected hypertension. His claim for increased rating of hypertension was also denied.

Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted.,The claim for service connection for burns of the head and face is reopened, but further development is needed to determine its merits.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to incomplete records and need for further examination. The issues include whether new evidence was received to reopen a respiratory disability claim, service connection for psychiatric disorders including depression and nervous conditions, thyroid disability, and arthritis.

The Board has denied service connection for the claimed conditions, finding that there is no evidence of a nexus between any current disability and military service.

The Board dismissed the appeal due to the appellant's death, and no disability rating is granted.

The Board has remanded the case to obtain additional records and review the issue of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea. The Veteran's claims for PTSD, a skin disability, psychiatric disorder, and an increased rating for hernia residuals are still pending.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including a VA examination to determine if any current acquired psychiatric disability is related to service. The pension eligibility issue remains pending and will be addressed in a separate SOC.

The Board has remanded several claims for further development and examination, including service connection for various conditions such as arthritis of the left knee, eye disability, hypertension, liver condition, erectile dysfunction, diabetes mellitus, and psychiatric disorder. The Veteran's testimony indicates that these conditions are secondary to his already service-connected disabilities.

A 70 percent rating for service-connected psychiatric disability is granted prior to and from July 27, 2015. The Veteran's TDIU claim is also granted.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is rated at 70 percent since June 3, 2013. The Board has granted a TDIU effective June 3, 2013.

The Board has dismissed the appeals regarding earlier effective dates and remanded the cases for further evaluation of service connection, ratings, and psychiatric disorder.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for erectile dysfunction, prostate cancer, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to issues with verifying herbicide exposure in Korea.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted a 20 percent evaluation.,Service connection for an immune disorder, throat polyps, colon polyps, breast mass, and hypertension secondary to exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune is denied. The acquired psychiatric disorder (depressive disorder due to another medical condition) related to service-connected bilateral hearing loss is granted.

The Veteran's cause of death was attributed to circulatory collapse. The Board denied service connection for atherosclerotic coronary vascular disease and psychiatric condition, finding no evidence linking these conditions to military service.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for hypertension, right ear hearing loss, tinnitus, and a psychiatric disability due to insufficient evidence. The Veteran's service treatment records do not contain any mention of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for PTSD, an acquired psychiatric disability other than PTSD (to include depression), bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, a rating in excess of 30 percent for diarrhea of uncertain etiology, and TDIU due to lack of competent evidence supporting these claims.