Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2020

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including ankle and foot conditions and a psychiatric disorder. The evidence does not support a finding that any of these conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and hypertension are being remanded due to the submission of new evidence that suggests a possible link between MST and her current mental health conditions. The Board also notes that there is no direct evidence linking the hypertension to service, so it remains inextricably intertwined with the psychiatric claim.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding no evidence of a current disability during the appeal period and noting that the Veteran's STRs did not show any complaints or diagnoses related to such condition. The claim was also denied for chronic headache disability as secondary to service-connected depression.,Service connection was granted for chronic headaches due to service-connected depressive disorder.

The Board has decided to remand the cases due to insufficient medical evidence and requests for examinations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for various disabilities, including an acquired psychiatric disorder, right and left eye disabilities, right and left knee disabilities, and a back disability. The claims are being remanded due to insufficient evidence to decide the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's petition to reopen his claim for service connection of a heart disorder has been granted. However, the new evidence does not establish that his current heart condition is related to service or exposure to contaminants at Camp Lejeune.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (likely encompassing PTSD and Depression) was denied as there is no probative medical evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Veteran's mental disorder with depression and anxiety is currently rated at 50% prior to October 12, 2018, and 70% thereafter. The Board has found that higher ratings are not warranted for any period of time. The case is remanded for further development regarding the issue of a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for increased evaluations and service connection are remanded due to inadequate examinations, missing VA treatment records, and new evidence not being considered.

The Veteran's PTSD is related to his fear of hostile military or terrorist activity, and he was granted service connection for this condition.,The Veteran's schizophrenia has been rated at 100 percent since February 21, 2006. The earlier effective date of February 21, 2006 for the award of a 100 percent rating is also granted.,The issue of entitlement to TDIU from February 21, 2006 to February 16, 2012 is dismissed as moot due to the grant of a 100 percent disability rating for schizophrenia.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and evaluations.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was reopened and granted. The Board also ordered a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any current psychiatric disability, including whether it is related to service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for cervical fusion, acquired psychiatric disorder, and TDIU due to incomplete development of records from the Tennessee Department of Labor.

The Veteran's request to reopen the claim for lumbar myofascitis with T9 hemangioma and chronic low back pain was denied. The claim for erectile dysfunction is also denied.,The Board has determined that there is no new and material evidence to reopen the claim of service connection for lumbar myofascitis with T9 hemangioma and chronic low back pain, as the evidence does not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim. The Veteran's erectile dysfunction claim was also denied.,The Board found that there is no nexus between the Veteran’s acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD) and his service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate development, specifically a need for an addendum medical opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's psychiatric disability. The case will be returned to the RO for further action.

The Board denied the claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that there was no credible evidence supporting a link between the Veteran's reported personal assault during service and his current psychiatric condition.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims for service connection for duodenal and gastric ulcers, chronic B-12 deficiency with liver enzyme disorder, diabetes mellitus, an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as PTSD, schizoaffective mood disorder, bipolar type, and pain disorder due to psychological and general medical conditions), a skin disorder (recurring back cysts), fibromyalgia, hyperlipidemia, a neurological disorder (to include waist-down paralysis, seizures, blackouts, neuropathy, and Morton’s neuroma), arthritis, hypertension, a thyroglossal duct cyst, and T10-11 spinal osteophyte and degenerative disc disease with muscle pain spasm and lower back-leg weakness (thoracolumbar spine disorder).

The Board dismissed the appeal due to the Veteran's death, and no service connection was granted for an acquired psychiatric disability including bipolar disorder.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including depressive disorder not otherwise specified, as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected left eye nasal pinguecula (pterygium). However, it denied service connection for a right eye disorder, finding that there is no evidence of its onset during service or causation by the service-connected condition.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for acquired psychiatric disability, lumbar spine disability, left leg disability to include left lower extremity, right leg disability to include right lower extremity, left foot disability, and right foot disability due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination.

The Board has remanded the cases due to new evidence being added to the record, and the Veteran has requested that her case be returned to the AOJ for consideration of this new evidence.