Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2018

The Board has remanded the cases due to new evidence being received since the last decision in July 2014. The Veteran's mental health conditions and right knee disability have been treated with VA, but the claims for service connection are still pending.

The Board denied service connection for both the right knee disability and the psychiatric disability, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of a psychiatric disability was denied as there was no earlier received claim.

The Board has decided to remand several issues, including the rating for the Veteran's lumbar spine disability and service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and depression), left hip disability, and TDIU. The decision also requires a new VA examination for each of these conditions.

The Board has remanded four issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including for a low back disability and psychiatric disability. The VA treatment records from October 20, 2017, to the present need to be obtained.

The Board has remanded the claims for a degenerative bone disease, low back disability, and variously diagnosed psychiatric disability due to insufficient medical evidence regarding their etiology.

The Board denied service connection for a right arm disorder, neck disorder, and back disorder. The Veteran's claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder (depression) were also denied as secondary to the back disorder.,Service records did not show any complaints or diagnoses related to these conditions during active duty.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) prior to April 20, 2009, finding that his service-connected acquired psychiatric disability alone did not preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's petition to reopen claims for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss was granted. The Board found new and material evidence supporting these claims, including the Veteran's in-service exposure to noise during his service as an ammo handler. Service connection for tinnitus is granted. However, the claim for bilateral hearing loss remains pending due to insufficient evidence linking current hearing loss to service. The claim for PTSD and depression was denied due to incomplete medical opinions.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the service connection claims for right and left ankle disabilities, as well as for an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as PTSD). The claims are being remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was reopened and granted. The claim for prostate disability, which is presumed to be due to herbicide exposure in Vietnam, was denied.

The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for service connection of paranoid schizophrenia has been dismissed due to his request for withdrawal.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional medical records and examinations related to his service connection claims.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings due to incomplete records, including SSA disability benefits records and VA treatment records. The Veteran's left knee and low back disabilities are also being examined to determine their current severity.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder and remanded it for further development.

Service connection for lumbar degenerative disc disease has been granted. The Board also remanded several issues related to service connection for various conditions secondary to thyroid cancer.

The Veteran's service connection claims for left foot hammer toes, right foot hammer toes, and ischemic heart disease have been denied. The Veteran's service connection claim for obstructive sleep apnea has been granted. Service connection for acquired psychiatric disability (depressive disorder with anxious features) is also granted.,Service connection for left foot hammer toes and right foot hammer toes was not established as the evidence did not show a current diagnosis of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for sleep apnea, respiratory disability, back disability, fungal infection of the bilateral feet, and acquired psychiatric disability due to insufficient evidence in the record.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the onset and causation of the Veteran's schizophrenia, which may be related to service. The claim will need further examination and medical opinion.

The Veteran's appeal for hypertension was dismissed due to his withdrawal of the claim.,The Veteran's appeals for hepatitis C and PTSD were also dismissed as he withdrew them prior to a decision being made.,The application to reopen claims for an acquired psychiatric disability (dysthymic disorder) and erectile dysfunction is granted.