Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2019

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including PTSD, major depressive disorder, sleep apnea, headaches, hypertension, erectile dysfunction (secondary to PTSD), and lip cancer. The evidence does not support a finding of service connection based on direct service connection.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the adjudication of several claims, including those related to back pain, asbestos exposure, chest pain/sinus ventricular tachycardia, acquired psychiatric disability (schizophrenia), sleep apnea, fractured right great toe, traumatic brain injury (TBI), post traumatic headaches with migraine features, and macular lesion, left eye with scotoma. The Veteran's claims are being remanded for further development.

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

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including bipolar disorder, was incurred in service.,During the appeal period, the Veteran’s GERD symptoms did not meet the criteria for a higher than 10 percent rating.

The Board has dismissed the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, claimed as PTSD, because it was granted in a previous rating decision.

The Veteran's headache disorder is caused or aggravated by his service-connected tinnitus.,Service connection for tinnitus was granted, effective January 27, 2015. The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date prior to this date is denied.,New evidence has been received supporting the Veteran's claim of a psychiatric disorder secondary to TMJ (claimed as injury to mouth and face). Service connection for this condition is remanded.,Service connection for left knee, right knee, and sleep disorders are all remanded due to lack of medical records or incomplete information.,reasoning_1_sentence_on_deciding_factor_summary_of_case_1st_issue

The Board has remanded multiple service connection claims for further development and examination, including those related to respiratory, prostate, kidney, psychiatric, TBI, foot, skin, headache, diabetes mellitus, and peripheral neuropathy disabilities. The Veteran is also asked to provide more information regarding his claimed stressors for PTSD.

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to errors in obtaining medical records and inadequate medical opinions. The Veteran's psychiatric disorder is being evaluated again, a new examination of his back disability and neurological disabilities is needed, and the TDIU on a schedular basis only is also being remanded.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran, which relates to the basis for the prior denial and raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for Agent Orange exposure is denied. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are currently rated as the maximum allowed under VA regulations. The Veteran's psychiatric disorder (PTSD, anxiety disorder, and depressive disorder) and left index finger disability require further examination to determine appropriate ratings.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and remanded it due to new evidence. The rating for obstructive sleep apnea remains denied as there is no chronic respiratory failure or tracheostomy required.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for additional notice and development regarding service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depression.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied across multiple conditions, including hearing loss, psychiatric disabilities, back and leg conditions, heart condition, foot conditions, sleep apnea, migraine headaches, gastrointestinal issues, eye conditions, erectile dysfunction, and heat prostration. The Board found no evidence of a causal relationship between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral flat feet and a psychiatric disorder due to insufficient evidence. The Veteran is required to provide new and material evidence or undergo further examination.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted service connection. The remaining issues are remanded for further development and examination.

The Board denied service connection for high cholesterol, hypertension, an acquired psychiatric disability, a neurocognitive disorder (Lewy body disease), and sleep apnea. The issues of increased ratings for tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, residual gunshot wound of neck and right shoulder, scars, painful scar, posterior neck, post shrapnel wound, synechecia left inferior nasal turbinate to septum with sinusitis, post endoscopy with septoplasty, and service connection for high cholesterol were also denied.

The Board dismissed the claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD as it was considered subsumed by the grant of service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's schizophrenia pre-existed his active duty service and if it worsened during that period. The decision also requires a medical opinion on these issues.

The Board denied service connection for a bilateral elbow condition, neck disability, and bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran was granted service connection for tinnitus.,Service connection was not established for sleep apnea.

The Board has granted reopening of the claim for service connection for bilateral knee disorders and awarded a 10% disability rating effective August 9, 2016. The claims for low back disability, neck disability, left shoulder disability, right shoulder disability, fibromyalgia, and acquired psychiatric disability (anxiety) were denied.