Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2019

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bronchitis and an acquired psychiatric disorder have been remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension, bilateral upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, an acquired psychiatric disability (including PTSD and depression), residuals of throat cancer, a heart disability, a respiratory disability, and diabetes mellitus, type II. The issues of service connection for these conditions are remanded.,The Board also granted one issue - the remand on service connection for residuals of throat cancer.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder to include a bipolar disorder due to new and material evidence. The issue of secondary service connection for alcohol and drug abuse is inextricably intertwined with the final adjudication of the acquired psychiatric disorder claim, so it must be deferred pending a decision on that issue.

The Board has remanded the cases of hypertension and PTSD for additional development as there is conflicting medical evidence regarding their etiology.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of various conditions, including a low back condition, left leg condition, acquired psychiatric disorder, right and left ankle post-traumatic DJD and strain, left knee post-traumatic DJD and strain, and LSS with post-traumatic DJD, OA, scoliosis and partial sacralization of L5 have been granted. The Veteran is assigned a 10% evaluation for his service-connected pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB).

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions regarding his claimed disabilities. The VA is instructed to obtain additional evidence and provide further examinations as needed.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including lung disability, heart disability, hypothyroidism, diabetes mellitus, sleep apnea (secondary to a service connected condition), and an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD). The remand requires further development related to in-service exposure to chemicals and/or herbicides.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD. The claims for service connection for a lumbar spine disability, peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity, and sleep apnea are remanded.

The Veteran's tinnitus and diabetes mellitus claims have been granted. The remaining issues, including service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as PTSD and depression), hypertension, sleep apnea syndrome, erectile dysfunction, and left ankle disorder, are remanded for further development.

The Board has reopened the previously denied claims of service connection for hypertension and an acquired psychiatric disorder, but continues to deny them on their merits.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus is not granted as there is no evidence showing these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by active service.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional examinations and evaluations of his service-connected disabilities, as well as for further consideration of his claims related to hearing loss, psychiatric disorders, kidney cancer, and bladder cancer.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disorder, bilateral hip and leg pain, and PTSD. The Board found that there was no evidence of chronic conditions manifesting within one year of discharge or continuity of symptomatology. The Board also found no medical link between the current disabilities and service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including other specified schizophrenia and other psychotic disorder. The evidence did not show that these conditions began during or were aggravated by service.

The Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including schizophrenia, psychosis, and insomnia, is denied. The Board has also remanded the issue of abdominal pain as it was not addressed in the original decision.

The Board has remanded the case due to a duty to assist error and will consider all acquired psychiatric disorders present during the appeal period, including PTSD.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's claims, including service connection for various conditions such as cervical spine disability, fibromyalgia, bilateral knee and hip disabilities, sleep apnea, headaches, and digestive disorders. The reasons for these remands include insufficient medical opinions regarding the relationship between the claimed conditions and the Veteran's military service.,The issues of service connection are being addressed due to a lack of sufficient evidence or reasoning provided by VA examiners in previous examinations.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea and an acquired psychiatric disability due to insufficient evidence. The Veteran is required to provide additional medical records, including those from his time in VA care between 1981 and 1990. He also needs to undergo VA examinations to determine if his current conditions are related to his military service or service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for heart disease, hemophilia, and PTSD. The claim for erectile dysfunction was granted as secondary to hypertension.,Service connection was not established for the claimed conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient compliance with previous directives and a need for an addendum opinion regarding the Veteran's psychiatric disorders.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for additional medical opinions and further development of records.