Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2019

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, finding it as likely as not caused by the Veteran's service-connected left knee condition. The other issues remain remanded.

The Board has denied service connection for PTSD and remanded the issue of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, other than PTSD. The Veteran's claim for PTSD was previously denied due to lack of a current diagnosis.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of PTSD under DSM-5 and his impairment is due to alcohol use disorder.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination. The issues include service connection for various musculoskeletal conditions, including lower back disability, shin splints, ankle disabilities, and bilateral foot disability, as well as an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board has denied service connection for treatment purposes under 38 U.S.C. Chapter 17 for multiple conditions including right shoulder, right knee, left knee, low back pain, restless leg syndrome, headaches (cephalalgia), chronic fatigue syndrome, and fibromyalgia. The character of the appellant's discharge from his period of service was found to be a bar to VA compensation benefits.

The Board has decided to readjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and scoliosis due to new evidence submitted after the prior final denial. The issues of service connection are now pending.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and examination to address issues related to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, and reopening of a previously denied claim for diabetes mellitus.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination. The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, bilateral pes planus, and pseudofolliculitis barbae are all being reviewed to determine if they are related to service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining additional medical records and providing a VA examination to address whether the Veteran's depression is secondary to his service-connected duodenal ulcer.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic undifferentiated schizophrenia was denied in November 2006, and the effective date of May 14, 2009 is appropriate as it is the earliest date that entitlement arose.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been granted service connection. The remaining issues, including PTSD, sleep apnea, left shoulder disability, back disability, skin cancer, and kidney stones (claimed as kidney stones), are remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for osteoarthritis of the thoracolumbar spine and an acquired psychiatric disability (schizophrenia) due to the need for additional medical examinations. The Veteran must be provided with a VA examination to assess the nature and etiology of his current disabilities, including whether they are related to service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to engage and retain substantially gainful employment, resulting in a grant of TDIU.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and consideration, including evaluating the nature of the Veteran's psychiatric disability under DSM-V criteria and determining whether it is at least as likely as not related to an in-service stressor. The heart disease claim is also remanded due to its interdependence with the chest pain claim.

The Veteran's claims for tinnitus and left foot hallux valgus status post McBride bunionectomy with osteoarthritis were denied as his conditions did not manifest until after the effective date of May 1, 2018.,The claim for service connection for a bilateral eye disability was reopened due to new evidence provided since the last denial in October 2013.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, specifically schizophrenia, is service-connected as it likely began during his military service and was related to his active duty.

The Board has remanded several issues, including the claim for service connection for residuals of a head injury and psychiatric disorder other than PTSD (including depression), as well as the issue of an initial rating higher than 10 percent for right knee strain. The TDIU issue is also remanded due to its interdependence with these claims.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for major depressive disorder with anxious distress, finding that his condition is at least as likely as not due to his active duty service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient development and lack of a substantive rationale for the denial of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD. The Veteran's claim will be reviewed again with additional evidence and a new opinion from a VA psychiatrist or psychologist.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is granted, but the Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for a VA examination.