Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2019

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, finding that the Veteran's current diagnoses were not incurred in or caused by military service.

The Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus have been rated at the maximum allowable levels, while his psychiatric disorder remains at a 50% rating. The Board has remanded these issues for further evaluation.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as stressor-related disorder and PTSD, is granted service connection.,Service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity to include restless leg syndrome and due to exposure to herbicide agents is granted. Service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity to include restless leg syndrome and due to exposure to herbicide agents is also granted.,The Board has remanded these issues for further examination and opinion.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of a laceration of the right index finger and cervical spine disorder. The claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, remains pending. These issues are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and opinions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for schizophrenia was reopened and granted with an effective date of September 30, 2005. The Board found that new evidence received within one year of the denial supported reopening the claim and granting service connection.

The Board has granted the Veteran's petitions to reopen his claims for service connection for right shoulder and right knee disabilities. However, these claims are still pending as they have been remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for chronic bronchitis was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation.,The Veteran's body rash, presumed due to herbicide exposure during service in Vietnam, is remanded for further examination and medical opinion regarding its etiology.

The Board has decided that a VA psychiatric examination is needed to determine the onset and etiology of the Veteran's claimed psychiatric disabilities, including PTSD.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical evidence for a decision on whether any of the claimed injuries are directly related to service. The Veteran needs to be afforded a VA examination and an opinion addressing his lay statements regarding his symptoms in service, post-service medical history, and continuity of symptomatology.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (depressive disorder) as secondary to a service-connected disability, specifically degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine and radiculopathy of the right and left lower extremities. The other conditions remain denied.

The Board has granted the Veteran's petition to reopen his claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, but denied the claim itself due to lack of a current diagnosis and no causal relationship between any diagnosed condition and active duty service.

The Veteran's initial rating for TBI is denied, and the Board has remanded to evaluate his migraine headaches and mental disorder (paranoid schizophrenia).

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including a lumbar disorder, right hip disorder, skin disorder, acquired psychiatric disorders, and hypertension. The VA is instructed to obtain relevant medical records and conduct further examinations and opinions as needed.

The Board has not decided the service connection claims for cerebrovascular accident (CVA or stroke) and acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD), but has remanded them due to new evidence received since previous decisions. The decision on these claims will be considered as granted if some issues are granted and others are denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development and examination. The effective dates of his service connection awards remain pending.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to incomplete VA treatment records and the need for additional medical opinions. The claims include an acquired psychiatric disorder, tinnitus, and lung cancer.

The Veteran's claims have been remanded due to new evidence submitted, including a lay statement from another member of the National Guard who witnessed his in-service injury. The Board finds that this evidence relates the Veteran’s current lumbar spine disability to an in-service injury and requires further examination.

The claim for service connection for PTSD has been reopened and granted. Service connection for diabetes mellitus is also granted, but the claim for hypertension remains pending as it requires further evidence to determine if there is a relationship with herbicide agent exposure.

The Board has determined that the Veteran should be afforded a VA examination to assess the nature and etiology of his claimed back disorder. The issues of service connection for PTSD, an acquired psychiatric disability, a right knee disability, a left knee disability, a right ankle disability, and a temporary total rating for left knee replacement were remanded by the Board in February 2017.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder as there is no current diagnosis of such disorder in the record, and the Veteran did not meet the criteria for a direct service connection.