Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient opinions and the need for additional development, including obtaining private treatment records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to concerns about the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia, depression, and anxiety. The examination is needed to determine if these conditions preexisted service or were aggravated by service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. The claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, left lower extremity neuropathy, and right lower extremity neuropathy are all remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for heart disease due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents. The claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's appeal for heart disease was dismissed as he withdrew his request.,Two claims regarding CUE in the November 2004 rating decision were also withdrawn by the Veteran.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for lumbar spine disability, migraine headaches, and acquired psychiatric disability due to potential issues with medical opinions and development of evidence. The TDIU claim is also remanded as it is intertwined with the service connection claims.

The Board denied reopening of service connection for schizophrenia due to lack of new and material evidence, as the Veteran's assertions were not considered new or material.

The Veteran's service connection claim for bilateral pes planus was denied in a previous decision. New evidence has been submitted, raising the possibility of substantiating this claim. The case is remanded to determine if the pes planus worsened during service and whether it should be considered congenital or acquired.

The Veteran's claim for a higher disability rating for schizophrenia was granted, with the effective date set at December 10, 2015. The decision also denied an earlier effective date prior to July 1, 2010.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including respiratory disorder (to include asthma), left wrist disability, left hand disability, lumbar spine disability, left hip disability, right hip disability, left knee disability, and right knee disability. The Board found that there was no evidence to support these claims.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, previously characterized as PTSD, erectile dysfunction, and sleep apnea have been denied.,Specifically, the Board found that new and material evidence had not been received to reopen any of these claims.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. The Board has remanded both his lumbar spine disability and PTSD claims for further development, including VA examinations.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to new evidence received since the last denial, which may support a claim for service connection. The Veteran's psychiatric disorders are being reviewed again with additional stressor development and an opinion on their etiology.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's DJD of the right shoulder and acquired psychiatric disorder, to include depression, are not service-connected. The case is being sent back for further examination and analysis.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities alone do not render him in need of regular aid and attendance or housebound due to his service-connected conditions. The Board finds that the criteria for SMC based on aid and attendance or by virtue of being housebound have not been met.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including bipolar disorder, is not service-connected due to a finding of willful misconduct.,The Veteran’s back disability and COPD are remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded several service connection claims, including those for diabetes mellitus Type II, erectile dysfunction, peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities, and coronary artery disease. The remand requires obtaining additional medical records and verifying the ship's location during the Veteran's Vietnam service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a sleep disorder and an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD due to insufficient consideration of evidence and need for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is currently rated at 20 percent, but the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.,Service connection for left hip condition and bilateral hearing loss disability are denied.,Service connection for headaches is granted. The Veteran has a current diagnosis of an acquired psychiatric disorder characterized as depressive disorder.,PTSD service connection is reopened due to new evidence, but the claim remains denied.,Service connection for cervical spine disorder is denied.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, did not meet the criteria for a higher rating of 100% due to insufficient evidence of total occupational and social impairment.