Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence in the record regarding the nature and etiology of his right leg disability and psychiatric disabilities, including PTSD. The Veteran needs to undergo medical examinations to determine if he has a current disability related to an in-service injury.

The Board has dismissed the appeal for service connection of erectile dysfunction and has remanded the issues regarding an earlier effective date for psychiatric disorder and a higher evaluation for that condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD. The issues of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and dermatitis remain unresolved.

The Veteran's service connection claims for various conditions, including coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, toe amputations, and an acquired psychiatric disability are all granted. The issues of service connection for upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, back disability, sleep apnea, hypertension, benign prostatic hypertrophy, kidney disability (hematuria), and GERD and tinea corporis remain pending.

The Board has denied the Veteran's applications to reopen his claims for service connection for Traumatic Brain Injury and Acquired Psychiatric Disorder, finding that new and material evidence was not received.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for schizophrenia was denied by the Board. The effective date is set at September 27, 2010, which is when the Veteran filed his initial claim.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C and an acquired psychiatric disorder is being remanded due to the failure of the Veteran to report for a VA examination, which was required by the Board in March 2018. The dental treatment issue has also been remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, a respiratory disorder (COPD and emphysema), a skin disorder, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to in-service herbicide-agent exposure.

The Board has found that the VA examinations provided to the Veteran were incomplete and remanded for further examination. The back disability claim is being remanded due to an incomplete VA examination, while the psychiatric disorder (including PTSD) claim is being remanded because of a lack of etiological analysis.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, hypertension, erectile dysfunction (ED), and an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD due to insufficient evidence of record. The Veteran is also being asked to provide additional medical records.

The Veteran is granted service connection for coronary artery disease and diabetes mellitus type II due to herbicide exposure during service.,The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability (depression) is also granted as secondary to his now service-connected coronary artery disease and diabetes mellitus type II.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of mad cow disease. The claims for service connection for cold injury residuals to both feet, hands, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD) are remanded due to missing in-service hospital records.

The Veteran's claim for service connection has been reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. The claims for bilateral eye disability, bilateral knee disability, and acquired psychiatric disorder are remanded for further development.

The Board has determined that additional medical opinions are needed to address the Veteran's claims for bilateral knee, right ankle, left hip, low back strain, acquired psychiatric disability (including PTSD), and headaches conditions as they may be related to his service-connected flat feet condition.,For the heart condition claim, a new VA examination is required due to conflicting in-service medical records.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection and rating issues have been dismissed due to withdrawal of the claims by the Veteran during his hearing.,Additional development is required for the following issues: whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen a claim of service connection for residuals of a neck injury, service connection for sleep apnea secondary to an acquired psychiatric disorder and service-connected sinusitis, service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD), initial rating higher than 10 percent for right shoulder strain and rotator cuff tendonitis, initial rating higher than 10 percent for instability of the left knee, and initial rating higher than 10 percent for left knee strain with meniscus repair surgery.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for hypertension, migraine headaches, bilateral hearing loss, obstructive sleep apnea, diabetes mellitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder have been granted. The effective date remains pending as the RO has not addressed this issue in its decision.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded to obtain additional medical records and arrange for a new VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions, including whether they are related to service in Southwest Asia.

The Board has dismissed the claim for nonservice connected pension benefits and has remanded the claims for service connection for sleep walking and an acquired psychiatric disorder (including major depression and anxiety).

The Veteran's claim for service connection for ischemic heart disease was denied as there is no current diagnosis of the condition.,Service connection for neck cancer, presumed due to herbicide exposure, was also denied because the disability did not manifest within one year after separation from service and is not etiologically related to service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for schizophrenia, finding that there is clear and unmistakable evidence both that schizophrenia pre-existed his active service and was not aggravated during it.