Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2018

The Veteran's bilateral eye disorder, including pterygium and refractive disorder, was not incurred in service.,Hypertension was not shown to be related to the Veteran's active service.

The Board has remanded the claims of entitlement to service connection for a left big toe condition and an acquired psychiatric disorder (depression, anxiety, insomnia) due to additional VA medical examinations being needed.

The Board has granted the Veteran's petition to reopen his claim for service connection for schizophrenia, finding that new evidence submitted is sufficient to meet the threshold of materiality.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequate VA medical opinions and inextricably intertwined issues. The case will be returned for further development, including new examinations.

The Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depression, is denied as there is no current diagnosis of PTSD. The Veteran's depressive disorder was not related to service.,Service connection for DJD or DDD of the lumbar spine is denied due to lack of a link between the condition and active service or service-connected low back strain.

The Board has determined that the issues of service connection for a left hip disability, lumbar spine disability, skin condition, acquired psychiatric disorder, and undiagnosed illness manifested by non-specific joint pain (left hip) need further development.

The Veteran's claim for bilateral hearing loss is denied, while his anxiety disorder (psychiatric) is granted. The rating for tinnitus remains at the maximum schedular rating of 10 percent and there is no effective date prior to July 22, 2013, for service connection. Other claims are remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left ankle condition and an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depressive disorder. The Board found that there was no evidence to support the Veteran's assertions of in-service injury or stressor events.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for multiple joint arthritis, left eye glaucoma, breathing disability, colon cancer, and psychiatric disorder due to lack of proper examination and evidence. The claim for sleep apnea is also remanded as new and material evidence was submitted.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as a panic disorder, is found to be related to his active duty service and the Board grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for improved pension benefits was denied as his income exceeded the maximum allowable pension rate. The Board found that the Veteran’s countable annual income, after deducting medical expenses, exceeded $16,051 and therefore did not meet the criteria for nonservice-connected pension.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disability and an acquired psychiatric disability (PTSD and depressive disorder) are remanded. The Board found that further efforts should be made to verify the stressor events and obtain medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for Personality Disorder, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD are being remanded due to the need for additional examination and consideration.

The Board is unable to determine if the Veteran's schizophrenia contributed to his death by a traffic accident due to insufficient evidence. The case is being remanded for further development.

The Board has decided to remand both issues for further examination and consideration of new evidence. The claim for service connection is reopened, but the issue regarding the evaluation of dermatophytosis remains under review.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral gout of the feet and sleep disability (insomnia) as these conditions are not related to military service.,Service connection was also denied for left and right knee disability, heart disability (stents in heart), hypertension, and an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD and a psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, but denied service connection for right hip injury. The appeal is remanded to determine the etiology of the Veteran's PTSD and any other psychiatric disorders.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for traumatic brain injury, cataracts, dental disability, thoracolumbar spine disability, cervical spine disability, hearing loss, right leg/thigh disability, left leg disability, left hip disability, left knee disability, and removal of the right ovary have been dismissed.,The Veteran's appeal to reopen her claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder (including PTSD) has been granted.

The Veteran's service-connected other specified trauma-related psychiatric disability resulted in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity, warranting a rating of 50 percent on and after April 25, 2016. However, the residuals of his left 5th metatarsal fracture have not been rated appropriately.,The Veteran's service-connected other specified trauma-related psychiatric disability resulted in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity, warranting a rating of 50 percent on and after April 25, 2016. The residuals of his left 5th metatarsal fracture have not been rated appropriately.