Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for urethritis/gonorrhea, epididymitis, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to new evidence or further clarification.

The Veteran's right ankle disorder and acquired psychiatric disorder are not granted. The Veteran is granted service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the right femoral nerve with a staged initial rating greater than 20 percent from July 17, 2019, and for peripheral neuropathy of the left sciatic nerve with an increased rating greater than 40 percent from July 19, 2019.

The Board has denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, a skin disorder (manifested by knots of the underarms and tailbone), and a right knee disability. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD, Paranoid Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder, and Manic Depressive Disorder is remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of acquired psychiatric disability, nerve damage to the bowel, and nerve damage to the kidneys as secondary to prostate cancer. The appeal was not granted.

The Board has vacated its decision regarding an earlier effective date for the finding of basic eligibility for DEA benefits and will reconsider this issue as if the previous April 28, 2020 Board decision had never been issued. The TDIU claim is remanded to determine whether it should be granted on an extraschedular basis prior to December 6, 2010.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence supporting service connection for PTSD and an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD. The Veteran's claims are pending further review.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service-connected, while bilateral hearing loss and other conditions are denied.

The Board has found that the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are remanded due to a duty to assist error. The Veteran is requested to undergo an additional VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any currently present psychiatric disability, including PTSD.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for further development due to duty-to-assist errors and the need for VA examinations.

The Veteran's claims for special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance, total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU), and service connection for sleep apnea were denied. The Veteran was found to be unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected acquired psychiatric disorders. Sleep apnea was not diagnosed in the available evidence.

The Veteran's claim for a higher level of SMC based on the need for regular aid and attendance is granted. The Board also remanded the issue of an earlier effective date for SMC based on housebound status or the need for regular aid and attendance due to procedural issues.

The appeal for a rating in excess of 10 percent for back disability is dismissed. The issue related to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient development of evidence regarding the Veteran's in-service stressor for PTSD diagnosis. The Veteran is requested to provide any further information he has concerning the incident, including location and details.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, lumbar and cervical spine degenerative disc diseases, chronic headaches, sinusitis, right hip disability, traumatic brain injury residuals, auditory processing disorder, and psychiatric disabilities. The remand requires obtaining relevant medical records from Social Security Administration and the Okaloosa Vet Center.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of records. The Board will consider all issues on appeal once this process is completed.

The Veteran's bilateral plantar fasciitis is granted as service connected. The claims for toenail fungus, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD, a depressive disorder, and anxiety), neurobehavioral effects to the face, and heart disorder are remanded.

The Board has determined that the issue of service connection for a non-PTSD psychiatric disorder is not on appeal. The case is being remanded to obtain an adequate VA etiological opinion and to attempt to obtain VA treatment records and private medical records.

The Veteran's appeal was granted for a 50 percent rating for bilateral pes planus, but the appeals for service connection and SMC based on aid and attendance were denied. The decision also noted that the Veteran is not competent to handle disbursement of VA funds.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, specifically PTSD, and a low back disability have been denied as there is no competent evidence showing that the disabilities are related to his active service.