Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for thoracolumbar spine disability, left ankle disability, and psychiatric disability due to lack of a VA examination addressing the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to potential missing Social Security Administration records that may contain relevant information.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and a right knee disorder are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete service personnel records and unverified in-service stressors, as well as the need for a VA psychiatric examination.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbosacral strain with DJD is granted at a 20% evaluation from June 14, 2013 to March 17, 2019. Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD and/or schizophrenia) is denied.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is denied as it is due to his own willful misconduct during service, specifically his unauthorized absences and other disciplinary issues.

The Board has remanded the case due to unclear records and need for a medical opinion regarding whether in-service minor military and disciplinary infractions were early symptoms of the Veteran's current psychiatric disorder. The issues of service connection and TDIU are intertwined.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for recurrent microscopic hematuria, urethritis, left knee ACL ligament tear and arthritis, sleep apnea, and acquired psychiatric disability (including major depressive disorder and PTSD) have been dismissed due to the Veteran's withdrawal of his appeal.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination. The Veteran's claims of service connection are not supported by current medical evidence.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and additional development. The Board finds that new evidence has been submitted which raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating his claim.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete evidence and need for additional examinations. The issues of left arm pain, left leg pain, migraine headaches, and acquired psychiatric disability are all being reviewed.

The appeal is being remanded due to the need for clarification and reconciliation with respect to a previous private opinion, as well as further examination by a VA examiner.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for a low back disability and an acquired psychiatric disability, including as secondary to the low back disability. The reasons are that the November 2016 VA medical examiner's opinion was inadequate due to its finding on credibility of the Veteran’s buddy statements.

The Board denied the reopening of service connection for sinusitis and a psychiatric disability, including PTSD and schizophrenia. The evidence did not show that sinusitis worsened during service or that there was a link between the psychiatric disabilities and service.

The Board has decided to remand the cases of the Veteran for further examination and development, including obtaining medical records from an emergency room visit in May 2015. The issues include service connection for a right shoulder condition, service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including depression), and rating greater than 10 percent for migraines.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is granted as related to service. The Board also found that the Veteran has other conditions like sinusitis, pituitary gland condition, joint pain, elbow and knee conditions, and GERD which are presumed to be due to his service in Saudi Arabia.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted service connection as it originated during active duty. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss and ear disorder to include bleeding of the ears are denied due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service. Low back, left leg, head trauma, and acquired psychiatric disorders (PTSD) are also denied.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and unspecified depressive disorder, finding that there is no current diagnosis of PTSD and insufficient evidence to establish a nexus between the claimed conditions and service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, chronic dyspnea, and an acquired psychiatric disability (including PTSD, bipolar disorder, and depressive disorder) have been denied. The Veteran also had his claim for a higher rating for neurodermatitis denied.,Service connection was not granted for the claimed conditions due to lack of evidence supporting their onset during service or being related to in-service events. The Veteran's current diagnoses were found to be unrelated to service, with chronic dyspnea and psychiatric disorders attributed to deconditioning and other non-service-related factors.

The Board has revised its July 20, 2015 decision to grant service connection for chronic cervical strain. The other issues of service connection were denied due to lack of evidence.