Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2019

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression, as secondary to a back condition due to the lack of current disability.

The Board found that the reduction of the Veteran's disability compensation benefits from April [Redacted], 2002 to April [Redacted], 2007 was improper due to his incarceration, and restored the 100% evaluation for this period.

The Veteran's application to reopen the previously denied claim for service connection for right shoulder disability is granted.,The Veteran's application to reopen the previously denied claim for service connection for cervical spine disability, claimed as neck disability, is granted.,Entitlement to service connection for obesity is denied.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including anxiety, depression, and PTSD, is granted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disability, bilateral hearing loss, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to inadequate medical opinions and missing evidence.,The Veteran's skin disability claim is also remanded as he has not been provided with a VA examination.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's psychiatric disorder. The Veteran is seeking service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, but the current evidence does not clearly establish whether it is related to her military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to the Veteran's failure to appear for a VA examination and because there is recent evidence of inpatient psychiatric care. The Veteran will be given another opportunity to attend an examination, and up-to-date VA treatment records will be obtained.

The Veteran's right ankle disability and bilateral foot condition are being remanded for further examination to determine the current severity of these conditions.,The Veteran's bilateral foot condition is being remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding its relationship to service-connected right ankle sprain. A new VA examination is needed to assess whether it is secondary to his service-connected condition.,The Veteran's back disability and acquired psychiatric disability are being remanded for a comprehensive evaluation, including opinions on the nature of these conditions and their relation to service.,The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability (PTSD, depression, alcohol use disorder in remission) is being remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding its relationship to service. A new VA examination is needed to assess whether it is related to personal assault during service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection and effective date determination due to insufficient evidence in some areas, particularly regarding the Veteran's claimed stressors and exposure as a firefighter. The Veteran is required to undergo VA examinations to address these issues.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to his failure to attend VA examinations and provide relevant medical records. The Veteran is required to appear for new VA examinations and cooperate with VA in retrieving private treatment records.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder was reopened due to new evidence submitted after the final denial in June 1995. The case is now remanded for further development and a medical opinion.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date and initial rating of 100% for his acquired psychiatric disorder is denied. The effective date will be the date of receipt of the informal claim, April 10, 2009, as it expressed intent to seek service connection.

The Board has denied service connection for PTSD due to the lack of a current diagnosis. The case is remanded for further examination and opinion regarding stroke, headaches, respiratory disability, and acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the schedular requirements for a TDIU, but his unemployability is due to his psychiatric disorder and bilateral plantar fascitis. The Board has referred this issue to the Director of Compensation & Pension Service for extra-schedular consideration.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss disability, an acquired psychiatric disability, a back disability, Crohn's disease, shin splints, restless leg syndrome, knee disabilities, and foot disabilities have all been denied. The evidence does not support the presence of current disabilities or a causal relationship to military service.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and depression), and erectile dysfunction has been granted. The decision also notes that the Veteran may have different conditions or diagnoses for his claims.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and new and material evidence to reopen the claim of hypertension. The Veteran's claims were not supported by the submitted evidence.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that there was no evidence linking his current condition to his military service or a service-connected disability.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection for back condition and lung cancer. The claim of reopening service connection for paranoid schizophrenia with psychosis and depression is allowed.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination and consideration of new evidence.

The Veteran's appeal of his claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for service-connected tinnitus has been withdrawn.,The RO is directed to obtain updated VA treatment records and SSA records, as well as any missing service treatment records from the David Grant Medical Center and NPRC.,VA should request that the Veteran submit any outstanding evidence regarding his claimed in-service exposure to dead bodies and race riots at Travis Air Force Base. The RO should also request a Statement in Support of Claim for PTSD Secondary to Personal Assault, and provide adequate notice as to such claim.,The RO should afford the Veteran new VA examinations for his acquired psychiatric disorders (PTSD, depressive disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder), TBI, migraine headaches, TMJ, cervical spine disabilities, lumbar spine disability, right upper extremity disability, and right lower extremity disability. Adequate etiological opinions are needed.,The RO should afford the Veteran VA examinations for his cervical and lumbar spine disabilities, as well as a new VA examination for his right upper extremity disability (right shoulder and arm pain and numbness, right hand disability).,The RO should afford the Veteran VA examinations for his right lower extremity disability. Adequate etiological opinions are needed.