Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2019

The Board denied service connection for various conditions including fainting disorder, right arm disorder, heart condition with an irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, bilateral leg disorder, and acquired psychiatric disorders. The appellant did not have a current diagnosis of any of these conditions at the time of his claims.

Service connection is granted for an acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as major depression. Service connection is denied for residuals of epididymo-orchitis (originally claimed as a groin injury). The issue of service connection for back disability is remanded.

The Veteran's claim for increased disability ratings for chronic sinusitis and a psychiatric disability was dismissed. The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability to include depression and anxiety, but denied the claim for increased disability ratings for his lumbar spine strain.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for residuals of a neck injury is denied as the evidence does not support an increased rating.,Service connection for hypertension remains remanded due to insufficient medical opinion regarding its etiology.,Service connection for gastrointestinal disorder (including gastric ulcer, gastroenteritis, polyps, and colonic diverticulosis) remains remanded due to insufficient medical opinion regarding its etiology.,Service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity remains remanded due to insufficient medical opinion regarding its etiology.,Service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity remains remanded due to insufficient medical opinion regarding its etiology.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including major depressive disorder) remains remanded due to conflicting VA medical opinions.

The Board has remanded several of the Veteran's claims for further development, including increased rating claims and service connection claims. The decision on these issues is pending.

The Board denied service connection for sleep apnea, heart failure, hypertension, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (anxiety). The decision is based on the lack of evidence showing a direct relationship between these conditions and service.,There was no credible evidence presented to support claims that any of these conditions began during or were otherwise related to service.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for right knee and psychiatric disorders have been remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder, tinnitus, back condition, neck condition, and bilateral SNHL has been reopened. Service connection is granted for the acquired psychiatric disorder. Tinnitus is also granted as service connected. The claims for back condition, neck condition, and bilateral SNHL are denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability and an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, depression, psychosis NOS, and bipolar disorder is remanded due to the need for additional development. The issues of special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for aid and attendance of another or by reason of being housebound, total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU), nonservice-connected pension, and special monthly pension (SMP) are also remanded.

The claim has been reopened due to new and material evidence. The Board has decided to remand the issue of service connection for a psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disorder has been reopened, but the underlying condition is not service-connected.,Service connection was denied for bilateral leg pain as it did not meet the criteria of being related to his service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including a nervous condition, has been reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. The case is now remanded for further evaluation on the merits.

Service connection for a low back disorder, tinnitus, sleep apnea, cardiovascular (CV) disorder, diabetes mellitus (DM), and hypertension was denied.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder was denied.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD has been reopened and is now considered for service connection. The Board finds new and material evidence sufficient to reopen the claim.

The Veteran's appeal includes claims for an effective date prior to November 20, 2012 and a TDIU prior to that date.,These issues are being remanded due to the timeliness of the Notice of Disagreement (NOD) submitted by the Veteran’s representative.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for cervical spondylosis was denied, with the Board finding that his forward flexion of the cervical spine did not meet the criteria for an increased rating.,The Veteran's PTSD claim is remanded due to insufficient evidence addressing all potential stressors and other acquired psychiatric disorders.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type. Service connection was denied for neck pain and headaches.

The Veteran's service connection claim for left ear hearing loss is granted, while claims for right ear hearing loss, tinnitus, psychiatric disorder (including PTSD), heart disorder, osteopenia, cervical spine (neck) disability, left shoulder disability, right shoulder disability, left hip disability, right hip disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, left ankle disability, and right ankle disability are denied. The Veteran's service connection claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability is also remanded.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU is remanded due to the need for updated VA treatment records from his mental health providers.

The Veteran's tinnitus and bilateral peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities are being remanded for additional development. The service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD) is also being remanded, but with a request for a VA examination to determine if it is related to service.