Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2018

The Board finds that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether the Veteran has a diagnosis of an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, which is due to his stressors experienced in service. The Board therefore concludes that, with the benefit of the doubt resolved in the Veteran's favor, a grant of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is warranted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination to address his claims of service connection for hypertension and psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination. The examiner will determine if his current psychiatric condition is related to his active duty service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for service connection for any of his claimed conditions, as there is no clear and unmistakable evidence to rebut the presumption of soundness at entry into service or a pre-existing condition was aggravated by service. The diagnoses are found to be less likely related to service.

The Board found that the Veteran's low back pain and acquired psychiatric disability are not related to his active duty service.

The Board found that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including bipolar disorder, is not related to his military service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board found no evidence supporting the Veteran's claims of gout, necrosis, cardiovascular disability, and acquired psychiatric disability being related to his service-connected conditions or due to exposure to Agent Orange. The appeals were denied.

The case is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA medical records and an addendum opinion from a qualified examiner to determine the nature and etiology of any acquired psychiatric disorder that may be present.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability has led to a total loss of occupational and social functioning, warranting a 100 percent rating from September 8, 2006 to September 10, 2016.

The Board has determined that a VA examination is needed to address the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability. The SMP claim is inextricably intertwined with this issue and must be remanded as well.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining relevant Social Security Administration records and any outstanding VA medical records.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left elbow strain was dismissed due to the Veteran withdrawing his appeal. The Board found that the Veteran has PTSD linked to an in-service personal assault and granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran is presumed to have been exposed to herbicide agents, including Agent Orange, during his service in Vietnam and thus meets the criteria for presumptive service connection for ischemic heart disease.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination to assess his occupational impact from his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected unspecified schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders are found to be productive of severe symptoms, cognitive impairment, and functional impairment that prevent him from maintaining sufficient focus and attention to complete even simple tasks, tolerating normal supervision, establishing and maintain normal work relationships, tolerating the stress of a normal work or worklike setting, or maintaining a regular work schedule. The evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether his psychiatric disability prevents him from realistically obtaining or following substantially gainful, non-marginal, and 'unprotected' employment.

The Veteran's psychiatric disability was rated at 100% effective May 25, 2000. This is the earliest date on which it was factually ascertainable that an increase in severity occurred.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss resulted in a combined rating of 90 percent as of June 10, 2011. This prevented him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.,As of June 10, 2011, the Veteran was found to meet the schedular criteria for TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for atrial fibrillation, an acquired psychiatric disorder (likely depression), and a right leg disorder. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to service.

The Board denied the claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, finding that there was no evidence supporting a link between the claimed in-service stressor and current symptoms.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for headaches, blackouts, back condition, sleep disorder, high blood pressure, erectile dysfunction, and acquired psychiatric disability were denied. The right shoulder disability was granted a 20 percent rating.