Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2019

The Board denied reopening the claim for service connection for a low back condition secondary to residuals of fracture, right first cuneiform due to lack of new and material evidence.,The Board also denied reopening the claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including bipolar disorder and PTSD) and memory loss and lack of concentration associated with undiagnosed illness manifested by tension headaches.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder did not meet the criteria for a higher disability rating, as it only caused occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for sleep apnea, ischemic heart disease, hypertension, gastrointestinal disability (GERD), and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to insufficient medical evidence on file. The Veteran must be provided with VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is not caused or aggravated by his service-connected right long finger amputation, and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus was denied as there is no evidence of in-service noise exposure or a compensably disabling condition within one year of separation from active duty.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder to include depression was also denied due to lack of evidence of a disability during the year following separation and current evidence not related to service. ,The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for dermatitis was denied as there is no evidence that at least 5% of his body or exposed areas are affected by the condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for right ankle DJD, prostate cancer residuals with erectile dysfunction and incontinence, and acquired psychiatric disability (including PTSD) due to insufficient evidence regarding service connection.

The Board has remanded several issues, including service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, a low back condition, and a neck condition. The claims are being remanded to allow for further development and consideration of the evidence.

The Veteran's right knee condition, emphysema, benign neoplasm (claimed as spot on lung), and psychiatric condition (depression) are not related to his military service.,Further development is needed for the claims of service connection for a left big toe condition to include arthritis, a right big toe condition to include arthritis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claims for service connection for left ankle disability, cervical spine disability, right shoulder disability, and left shoulder disability. The claim for acquired psychiatric disorder is also remanded.,The Veteran's cervical spine disability was denied in an August 2014 rating decision due to lack of new and material evidence. A remand is necessary as the Board needs to determine if there is a nexus between the service-connected disabilities and the cervical spine disability.,The right shoulder and left shoulder disabilities are also remanded, with the same reasoning as for the cervical spine disability.,The acquired psychiatric disorder claim is also remanded due to lack of new and material evidence. A remand is necessary to determine if there is a nexus between the service-connected disabilities and the psychiatric disorder.,A rating in excess of 20 percent for thoracic strain is also remanded.

The Board has decided that the VA examination is inadequate and remands the case for further action, including scheduling a new examination to determine if any diagnosed psychiatric disorders are causally related to service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left foot disorder, finding that his pre-existing condition worsened during military service due to inadequate shoe size. The psychiatric disorder claim was withdrawn by the Veteran.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete development of records and need for further examination.

The Board has remanded several issues related to service connection for various conditions, including psychiatric disorders, eye conditions, hearing loss, tinnitus, hepatitis C, arthritis, and diabetes. The Veteran's private treatment records are needed, as well as the full set of his service treatment records.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, hypertension, hernia, PTSD, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (including depression), finding no competent evidence of a nexus to his period of active duty training.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and need for a VA examination. The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is being reviewed, along with other acquired psychiatric disorders.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination to determine the severity of service-connected varicose veins and the etiology of any psychiatric disorder. The Veteran's claim is being remanded due to an incomplete record and need for additional examinations.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection and an initial compensable rating are inextricably intertwined with his diabetes mellitus claim, which was previously remanded. The Board also found that there were issues regarding the nature and etiology of his acquired psychiatric disorders and the severity of his right thumb disability.

The Veteran's appeal regarding service connection for a skin condition has been dismissed as he withdrew his claim at the November 2018 hearing. The claims for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder, headaches, and sleep disturbance are remanded.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded because there may be outstanding VA records that are relevant to his TDIU claim. Specifically, the Veteran was accepted for vocational rehabilitation and completed paralegal studies.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, a back disability, and varicose veins of the right lower extremity have been denied as new and material evidence has not been received to reopen these claims.