Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2018

The Board has remanded the cases due to incomplete service records and need for further clinical opinions regarding the Veteran's psychiatric conditions, alcoholism, and their relationship to his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection in multiple areas, including heart disability as secondary to pre-pyloric ulcer with antrum scarring and hiatal hernia, liver disability with hepatitis C, acquired psychiatric disorder (depression), sleep apnea, skin disability (Stevens Johnson syndrome), and right leg disability. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for reopening these claims or establishing service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for a thyroid disorder (Graves' disease and hyperthyroidism) and a psychiatric disorder (secondary to hyperthyroidism).

The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of his acquired psychiatric disorder is denied. The Board also remands the claims for service connection for hypertension and TDIU, as they are inextricably intertwined with the PTSD rating issue.

Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include depression, is denied.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied.,Service connection for OSA is denied.,Service connection for headaches is denied.,The Veteran's prostate cancer residuals are rated at 20 percent and the reduction from 100 percent to 20 percent was proper.,An effective date prior to November 9, 2015, for the grant of service connection for tinnitus is denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a skin condition, an acquired psychiatric disorder (to include as secondary to service-connected disabilities), obstructive sleep apnea, and hypertension have been granted. The decision also remanded several other issues.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for right elbow disability and psychiatric disability have been reopened, with the evidence showing that these conditions began during active service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for other specified schizophrenia and other psychotic disorder was denied multiple times, including in 1985. The most recent application to reopen the claim was received on March 6, 2015, making March 6, 2015 the earliest possible effective date.

The Veteran's psychiatric disability was granted an initial rating of 50 percent from February 2, 2012 to January 30, 2013. A higher rating is denied as of January 30, 2013.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and a sleep disorder were denied because he failed to report for scheduled VA examinations.

The Board denied service connection for schizophrenia, finding that the Veteran's preexisting psychiatric disorder did not permanently worsen during active duty.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for a headache disability was denied, and service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (Posttraumatic-stress disorder) was also denied.

The Board finds that there is insufficient evidence to establish service connection for any of the claimed conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, increased ratings for various knee and ankle disabilities, a compensable rating for bilateral pes planus, and an increased rating in excess of 30 percent for hypothyroidism. The claims are being remanded to allow for further development including VA examinations.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, to include PTSD, and TDIU due to the lack of evidence supporting a relationship between the Veteran's current psychiatric conditions and his military service.

The Board has remanded several issues including service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, a compensable initial rating for a groin strain, TDIU for the groin strain, and compensation pursuant to 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for status post cholecystectomy.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection of left shoulder condition, bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, and acquired psychiatric disorder have been withdrawn. The Board has also remanded the issue of service connection for a back disability.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's claims, including service connection for hearing loss, Parkinson's disease, a psychiatric disorder, a sleeping disorder, and PTSD. The issues are being addressed due to insufficient evidence or need for further medical evaluation.

The Board has granted service connection for major depressive disorder, but remanded the other issues due to missing treatment records and need for further medical opinions. The Veteran's major depressive disorder is found to be aggravated by his service-connected headaches and left leg disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back disability and acquired psychiatric disability (PTSD and/or depression) are related to service, but further medical opinions are needed to determine if these conditions are caused or aggravated by his service-connected bilateral pes planus.