Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2019

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the Veteran's claims for service connection for back disability, left lower extremity disability, and acquired psychiatric disorder. The VA must reconsider these claims in light of the additional service records received by the Veteran.

The Board denied service connection for a right knee disorder, finding that the Veteran's current diagnosis was not related to his time in-service and is not due to any in-service occurrence or event.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including as secondary to service connected tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss, was also denied. The Board found no evidence of a link between the Veteran's current psychiatric condition and his time in-service.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and to obtain additional medical records, including from SSA. The Veteran's right hip disability claim is being remanded due to a lack of information to corroborate his in-service stressor. His psychiatric disorder claims are also being remanded as there may be outstanding treatment records that need to be obtained.

The case is being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions and development of records. The issues of service connection, TDIU, and dental treatment are all pending.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to outstanding VA and Social Security Administration (SSA) records.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for schizophrenia is reopened, but the condition is not found to be related to his military service.,Service connection for upper and lower back pain is denied as there is no evidence that the condition began during or was caused by his military service.,Service connection for bilateral pes planus/flat feet is denied because it preexisted his entry into active service and the presumption of soundness applies.,Service connection for ED secondary to sleep apnea is denied as there is no evidence showing worsening of the condition due to a service-connected disability.,Service connection for bilateral tinea pedis (Athlete’s Foot) is denied because there is no evidence that it began during or was caused by his military service.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no current diagnosis of hearing loss for VA purposes.,Service connection for vertigo is denied as the condition does not meet the criteria to be considered secondary to a service-connected disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD and an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that the in-service event causing his PTSD was due to his own willful misconduct.

The Board dismissed the appeal for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder. The Veteran's tinnitus and headaches were granted service connection.

The Board has remanded several issues including service connection for residuals of a head injury, an acquired psychiatric disorder, gastrointestinal disorder, and erectile dysfunction. The effective dates for the awards are not addressed.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and heart surgery, triple bypass condition. The claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder was not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence. The claim for heart surgery, triple bypass condition was denied as there is no evidence showing a link between the disability and active service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding insufficient evidence to support a diagnosis related to his military service. The case was remanded due to issues with sleep apnea.

The Board has remanded the claims of right ear hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to new evidence received after the April 2017 supplemental statement of the case.

The Veteran's low back, right knee, and acquired psychiatric disorders are found to be aggravated by his service-connected left knee disability. The claim for these conditions is therefore granted.

The Veteran's request to reopen the claim of service connection for a back disability is granted.,The Veteran's requests to reopen the claims of service connection for residuals of a bilateral super rectus fader operation, schizophrenia, depression, and anxiety are granted.,Service connection for bipolar disorder is granted.,An earlier effective date of December 5, 2005, but not earlier, for the award of service connection for a left ankle sprain is granted.,An earlier effective date of December 5, 2005, but not earlier, for the award of service connection for a right ankle sprain is granted.,An earlier effective date of February 22, 2012, but not earlier, for the award of an increased rating to 10 percent for status post left wrist trauma with arthroscopy with triangular fibrocartilage complex is granted.,An effective date earlier than August 30, 2012, for the award of an increased rating of 10 percent for the right wrist sprain is denied.,An effective date earlier than August 30, 2012, for the grant of service connection for hypertension is denied.,An effective date earlier than August 30, 2012, for the grant of service connection for status post left foot trauma is denied.,An effective date earlier than August 30, 2012, for the grant of service connection for status post left knee ACL repair and medial meniscectomy with residual degenerative arthritis is denied.,An effective date earlier than August 30, 2012, for the grant of service connection for right knee degenerative joint disease is denied.,An effective date earlier than August 30, 2012, for the grant of service connection for chronic cervical strain is denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for coronary artery disease and an acquired psychiatric disability were denied as the evidence did not meet the criteria for higher ratings under VA rating criteria.

The Veteran's claim of entitlement to an earlier effective date prior to August 18, 2011 for the grant of service connection for GERD with insomnia is denied.,The Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for hepatitis C remains pending and will be remanded for further development.,The Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for lumbar arthralgia with lumbar spondylosis, right shoulder arthralgia, left shoulder arthralgia, left leg pain, and right leg pain are all pending and will be remanded for further development.,The Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for hypertension (high blood pressure) remains pending and will be remanded for further development.,The Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for dizziness, headaches, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (depression) remain pending and will be remanded for further development.,The Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a sleep disorder (including sleep apnea), claimed as a respiratory condition, remains pending and will be remanded for further development.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss claim is denied as she does not have a current disability.,The Veteran’s breast cancer with lumpectomy, including as due to exposure to hazardous materials, and her psychiatric disorder including PTSD (due to military sexual trauma and/or as secondary to breast cancer) claims are remanded for further development.,The Veteran's GERD claim is remanded in conjunction with the breast cancer claim.,The Veteran’s left knee, right knee, left shoulder, right shoulder, cervical spine, thoracolumbar spine, left upper extremity condition (secondary to cervical spine condition), and right upper extremity condition (secondary to cervical spine condition) claims are remanded for further development.,The Veteran's left lower extremity and right lower extremity conditions are also remanded in conjunction with the breast cancer claim.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient information regarding the Veteran's work history and the impact of his service-connected conditions on his ability to work. The claim will be referred for further development, including a VA examination.

The Board has remanded the issues of increased rating for mechanical low back pain, service connection for acquired psychiatric disability, and TDIU due to unresolved legal or factual questions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including cervical spine disability, left upper extremity radiculopathy, obstructive sleep apnea, memory loss claimed as secondary to TBI, and an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD. The appeals were remanded for further action on some issues.