Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2018

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for residuals of dental surgery and psychiatric disorder due to potential in-service trauma. The Veteran's claim will be further evaluated after obtaining clarification on the use of speech discrimination testing during a private audiometric examination.

The Board denied service connection for vascular disease of the bilateral lower extremities, diabetes mellitus, a skin disability of the bilateral lower extremities, dementia (claimed as memory loss), and an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as stress).,The Board found that there was no indication of any in-service injury or illness related to these conditions. The Veteran's exposure to ionizing radiation during service did not result in any current disabilities.

The petition to reopen the previously denied claims for hepatitis C and depression is granted. The claim for service connection for shoulder disability is denied, but the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and depression) is remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for right foot hallux valgus, gastroesophageal reflux disease and hiatal hernia, and psychiatric disability due to insufficient medical opinions and incomplete records.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the claim of service connection for schizophrenia. The Veteran's current diagnosis of schizophrenia is presumed to have pre-existed active service, but the Board finds reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran and grants service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development regarding his claims of service connection for right shoulder dislocation, right ankle sprain, left ankle disability, sleep apnea, and an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's claims for heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, and acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD, anxiety, and depression) are dismissed since they were withdrawn. The claim for acquired psychiatric disorder is remanded for further development.

Your claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for a DRO hearing. The issues include reopening of several service connection claims.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, prostate cancer, tinea pedis, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (other than anxiety), finding no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has granted an effective date of October 23, 2009 for the grant of service connection for acquired psychiatric disability (including PTSD), and denied a request for an earlier effective date.

The Board has remanded the issues of entitlement to service connection for right ear hearing loss, left ear hearing loss, and an acquired psychiatric disability. The issue of migraine headache disability is also being remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is denied, but his claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD (depressive disorder) is granted.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient verification of claimed stressors and the need for further examination.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. Service connection has been granted for a variously diagnosed acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, including diagnoses of mood disorder, depressive disorder, and adjustment disorder with anxiety and depression. The claims for TBI, PTSD, interstitial bronchiolitis and respiratory bronchiolitis, asbestosis, and increased evaluation for COPD are remanded.

The Veteran requested to withdraw his appeals of both the service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and the disability rating for asbestosis. As a result, these claims are dismissed.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of PTSD or other psychiatric disorder, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is currently rated at 50 percent from September 20, 2012 to December 13, 2016. The rating remains denied for a period prior to September 20, 2012 and after December 14, 2016.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for a left knee condition and hypertensive vascular disease have been dismissed. The appeal for PTSD, to include as due to military sexual trauma, is remanded.

The Veteran's request to reopen a claim for service connection for tinnitus has been granted. Service connection is also granted for the acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and anxiety disorder. The claims for TBI, left shoulder disability, lumbar spine condition, left knee disability, sleep disorder, and GERD are all remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for ischemic heart disease and a psychiatric disability (including posttraumatic stress disorder) due to incomplete records and need for further verification of in-service stressors.