Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2018

The Veteran's current depression with sleep disturbance was not incurred in or aggravated by active service. The VA examiner found no evidence of a psychosis during service or within one year of service, and the Veteran's reported exposure to dead Marines' body crates did not contribute to his psychiatric symptoms.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's claimed PTSD and other psychiatric diagnoses, including whether they are related to service.

The Board denied the reopening of a previously denied claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that new and material evidence had not been received to support the claim.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea and erectile dysfunction. The Board found that there was no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and his active duty service.

The Board finds that the evidence is in equipoise regarding whether the Veteran's service in Vietnam caused his acquired psychiatric disorder, which contributed to his death from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Therefore, service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death is granted.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for an addendum opinion regarding whether the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is aggravated by his service-connected hepatitis C.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, claimed as PTSD and will further address this issue in a separate decision.

The Board has granted service connection for the acquired psychiatric disorder of paranoid schizophrenia. The issue of entitlement to TDIU is addressed in the REMAND portion and is currently pending.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims, including obtaining medical opinions regarding her left knee strain and right knee disability, as well as her psychiatric disorder and costochondritis.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, anxiety disorder, and depressive disorder, is attributable to service. The Board finds that the Veteran has a current diagnosis of these conditions and there is medical evidence linking them to her in-service experiences.

The Board found that the submitted evidence since the July 2009 final denial is essentially cumulative of the evidence previously of record with regard to the basis for the prior denial, and thus did not meet the criteria for reopening any of the Veteran's claims.

The Veteran withdrew her appeal for the issues of entitlement to service connection for a back disorder, hypertension, intestinal problems, and anemia at the May 2017 Board hearing.,With resolution of reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran, the criteria for entitlement to service connection for a neck disorder have been met.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary and the appeal is REMANDED. The Veteran needs to provide records from SSA, obtain SPRs/STRs, and undergo VA examinations for his lumbar spine disorder, cervical spine disorder, acquired psychiatric disorders, and heart disorders.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and verifying stressor allegations. A psychiatric examination is also required.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including VA examinations and the provision of proper VCAA notice regarding her PTSD claim based on in-service personal assault.

The Veteran's current psychiatric disorder, bipolar disorder, is related to service and granted. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability, hypertension, left leg disability, sleep apnea, and headaches are denied.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including hypertension, diverticulitis, asthma, COPD, diabetes mellitus, PTSD, stroke, bowel cancer, bilateral hearing loss, headaches, hernia, sleep apnea, and nerve damage. The reasons given were that there was no evidence of a causal relationship between these conditions and the Veteran's active service.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals of the initial rating assigned for cholecystectomy residuals and the denials of service connection for allergic rhinitis, residuals of fractured ribs, residuals of right eye trauma, bilateral hearing loss, and a skin disability.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining service treatment records and verifying the appellant's period of active service. The issues of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss, a right side disorder, and an acquired psychiatric disorder are inextricably intertwined with the TDIU claim.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of a back disorder, right knee disorder, an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD (diagnosed depression), and a sleep disorder. The claim for an initial rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD was also denied.