Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2019

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder to include PTSD is at least as likely as not related to her active military service, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition. The right knee osteoarthritis is also found to be at least as likely as not incurred in service.

The Veteran's schizophrenia, paranoid type has been granted an initial rating of 70 percent. The appeal for a TDIU was denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's PTSD is attributable to military sexual trauma and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has decided to remand the claims of service connection for right ear hearing loss, sleep apnea, right and left knee disorders, and a psychiatric disorder due to the need to obtain VA medical records and provide an addendum opinion regarding the etiology of the right ear hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for sleep apnea, a neurocognitive disorder, and a psychiatric disorder due to lack of medical opinions on direct service connection.

The Veteran's claim for service connection was granted, and a 10 percent rating is assigned for degenerative changes to the right ring and little fingers, effective June 5, 2012. The appeal related to his acquired psychiatric disorder, respiratory disorder, and memory loss associated with depression, diabetes mellitus, or medications.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical examination and consideration of lay statements regarding the Veteran's psychiatric symptoms.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records and need for further medical opinions.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for tension-type headaches was dismissed as the issue had been previously addressed by a final Board decision.,An effective date prior to December 11, 2012 for the grant of a separate evaluation for tension-type headaches is denied because it is not factually ascertainable that the Veteran's condition manifested within one year prior to his claim.,Service connection for paranoid schizophrenia with traumatic brain injury was granted on December 11, 2012. An effective date prior to this date is denied as there were no pending claims prior to the date of the Veteran's current claim.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for PTSD due to new and material evidence, but further development is needed as an examination is required to determine if any diagnosed psychiatric disorder is related to service.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination, as they are inextricably intertwined with the issues of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder. The digestive disorder claim is denied due to lack of evidence linking it to service. Service connection for PTSD, sleep apnea, and TDIU will be addressed after a VA examination.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that the Veteran did not have a chronic condition during his military service and there is no evidence of continuity of symptomatology since separation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder is rated as 100 percent disabling and his other service-connected disabilities are independently rated at 60 percent or higher, meeting the criteria for SMC based on housebound status. The issue of an effective date prior to June 1, 2014, for the grant of TDIU is remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for heart disability, skin disability, and acquired psychiatric disability due to a lack of substantial compliance with previous remands. The issues are being referred back for further development.

The Veteran's prostate cancer residuals are rated at 40 percent, and the Board has granted this rating. The case is remanded for further evaluation of a separate psychiatric disorder as a residual of service-connected prostate cancer and for consideration of TDIU.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and granted it, as new evidence received since the final August 2016 denial includes a diagnosis of an adjustment disorder with anxious and depressed mood.

The Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for hypertension was denied, and the Board found that an effective date prior to November 1, 2016 is not warranted.,Some of the Veteran’s claims were remanded due to insufficient evidence or need for additional examinations.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and evaluations to determine the current severity of his service-connected conditions, as well as whether he has other disabilities that are related to or aggravated by his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, but the Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to properly adjudicate these claims due to the need for a VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and a TDIU are remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining relevant medical records.