Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2019

Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, to include PTSD and depression is granted. A rating in excess of 20 percent for a low back disability is denied. The claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for right lower extremity radiculopathy is remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the nature and etiology of any acquired psychiatric disorder. A VA examination is needed to determine if the Veteran's condition existed prior to service or was aggravated by service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for schizophrenia has been reopened, but the issue of whether his current condition is related to service or a pre-existing condition remains unresolved. The Board finds that additional evidence and an opinion from a VA examiner are needed.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to inadequate examinations and the need for addendum opinions regarding aggravation of disabilities by a service-connected right ankle disability.

The Veteran's headache disorder and acquired psychiatric disorder have been granted service connection.,Effective dates for the awards of service connection are not specified in this decision.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for a psychotic disorder and remanded it for further development, including an examination to determine if any current psychiatric disability had its onset during service or was otherwise causally related to service.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for service connection for treatment purposes only for a sleep disorder, an intestinal disorder, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (including posttraumatic stress disorder).,There is no evidence of any chronic condition related to these disorders during or immediately following service. The VA medical opinions found that there was no relationship between the current conditions and service.,The appellant's statements were considered less probative than the findings of the VA examiner.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 50 percent prior to January 4, 2011 and higher than 50 percent thereafter. The case of TDIU on an extraschedular basis remains pending.

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to fully and correctly decide the claims for service connection for various conditions, including arthritis of the knees and legs, tendonitis of the knees, a bilateral foot disability, residuals of a cold weather injury (frostbite), skin disorder (eczema), and an acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD).

The appeals seeking service connection for a respiratory disability and an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, are dismissed due to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disability, including DMDD, is being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional examinations and to obtain relevant records. The issues include service connection for various disabilities, including lumbar spine, knee, stress fractures, hearing loss, tinnitus, psychiatric disorders, and migraines.

The Veteran's claims for high blood pressure, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, PTSD, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (diagnosed as PTSD and major depressive disorder) have been reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence.,The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and an acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD and major depressive disorder), finding that there is at least a 50% likelihood these conditions are related to service.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for lumbar disorder and remanded it. The issue of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder as secondary to lumbar disorder is also being considered.

The Veteran's petitions to reopen his claims of service connection for fibromyalgia and a back disorder were dismissed. The petition to reopen his claim of service connection for tinnitus was granted, but the other petitions were denied due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board has remanded the case for further development to determine if there is a current psychiatric disorder and its relationship to service-connected disabilities, as well as to obtain updated treatment records. Separate ratings are also requested for any external popliteal (common peroneal) nerve impairment.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and persistent depressive disorder with anxious distress, is related to his period of active service. The decision grants service connection for this condition.

The Board denied an effective date prior to April 27, 2005 for the award of service connection for acquired psychiatric disorder (MDD and PTSD) as no relevant service department records have been added to the record since the issuance of final decisions in 1993 and 1995. The Board also denied an effective date prior to April 27, 2005 for a TDIU due to lack of legal merit.