Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to a lack of proper adjudication and the need for additional examinations and records.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that his current condition is related to a head injury sustained during active duty.

The Veteran's claims for a higher rating for hemorrhoids and service connection for fecal incontinence are remanded due to the alleged refusal of a rectal examination. The issue of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is also remanded as it is intertwined with the issues of service connection for fecal incontinence.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral pes planus, right and left ankle disorders, and a psychiatric disorder has been denied. The Board found that the Veteran’s pes planus pre-existed service and did not increase in severity during service.

The Board granted service connection for schizoaffective disorder with history of insomnia effective September 27, 2019. The Veteran's claim was reopened and the new evidence received on that date was found to be material.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, finding that there was no evidence to support a diagnosis of PTSD and concluding that his pre-existing condition did not worsen during service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder due to MST, including PTSD and anxiety disorder, and color blindness are being remanded. The VA will seek additional evidence regarding the claimed stressors and provide a new examination to determine if these conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's appeals for Bell's Palsy, bilateral inguinal lymphadenopathy, bilateral hip disability, and right knee disability have been dismissed due to withdrawal of the claims.,The effective date for service connection for schizophrenia, paranoid type, has not been advanced beyond February 17, 2009. The Veteran did not file an earlier claim.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to issues with his bilateral foot disorder, acquired psychiatric disorder, left hip disorder, right hip disorder, and right elbow disorder. The appeals are now pending for further review.

The Veteran's increased rating claims for cervical spine, radiculopathy of the upper and lower extremities, and lumbar spine disorders are remanded. The service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder is also remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including skin condition, right and left eye vision impairment, acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD), bilateral hearing loss, right knee disability, left knee disability, lumbar spine arthritis, and prostate cancer. The evidence did not meet the criteria for direct service connection in most cases.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a respiratory condition to include COPD was denied due to lack of evidence linking the condition to service. The claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, unspecified trauma and stressor related disorder, is granted based on VA's concession of in-service stressors. Service connection for liver problems is denied.

The Board has remanded multiple issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including for psychiatric disorders, knee disabilities, wrist disability, shoulder disability, cervical spine disability, and lumbar spine disability. The RO is directed to issue a Statement of the Case on the psychiatric disorder claim.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and development of his claims. The Board will consider whether new evidence supports reopening his right knee disorder claim, but will not make a decision on that issue.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are currently rated at 20% and 10%, respectively. The claim for an initial rating in excess of 20% for bilateral hearing loss is denied, while the claims for earlier effective dates for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus remain pending.,The Veteran's leg disability and acquired psychiatric disability are remanded as they are inextricably intertwined with the issues of service connection. The initial rating for tinnitus remains remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, finding no current disability and thus no basis for service connection.

The Board has determined that there was not substantial compliance with the May 2017 remand order and an additional remand is necessary. The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is being returned to the agency of original jurisdiction (AOJ) for further development.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including an acquired psychiatric disorder, right knee disability, headache disability, tinnitus, and left shoulder disability. The decision found no current evidence of these conditions in service or within one year post-service, and the Veteran's claims were not supported by competent medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss is granted as service connected. The issue of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and MDD) is remanded due to the need to verify stressors and obtain a new opinion.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, sleep apnea, left eye macular edema, bilateral incipient senile cataracts, bilateral degenerative myopic changes, and refractive error right eye are remanded due to inadequate examination reports.,The Board found the October 2017 VA examination report insufficient and instructed a new examination by an appropriate clinician.