Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete service personnel records and insufficient evidence regarding the relationship between the Veteran's psychiatric disorders and his military service. The case will be returned for further development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as PTSD) are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's Parkinson’s disease and acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD and MDD) are not service-connected.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD and MDD), leukemia, COPD, AC joint arthritis of the left shoulder, urinary frequency, erectile dysfunction, sleep apnea, peripheral neuropathy of the right upper extremity, peripheral neuropathy of the left upper extremity, peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity, peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity, cervical spine disability (cervical spine disability), DMII (diabetes mellitus, type II), and lumbar spine disability are not granted.,Service connection for leukemia is remanded.,Service connection for COPD is remanded.,Service connection for AC joint arthritis of the left shoulder (claimed as arthritis of the left shoulder) is remanded.,Service connection for urinary frequency, to include as secondary to service-connected DMII with diabetic ulcer of the right foot or service-connected lumbar spine disability, and service connection for erectile dysfunction, to include as secondary to service-connected DMII or service-connected lumbar spine disability are remanded.,Service connection for sleep apnea is remanded.,Service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the right upper extremity prior to July 19, 2012, and higher than 30 percent thereafter; peripheral neuropathy of the left upper extremity prior to July 19, 2012, and higher than 20 percent thereafter; peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity; and peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity are remanded.,Service connection for cervical spine disability (cervical spine disability); service connection for DMII (diabetes mellitus, type II); and service connection for lumbar spine disability are remanded.,Service connection for CAD associated with hypertension is remanded.,Service connection for lipoma tumor on the spine is remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete readjudication of the issue of entitlement to waiver of premiums for S-DVI under 38 U.S.C. § 1922(a). The AOJ must ensure that all issues on appeal are addressed and associated documents are included in the claims file.

The claims for service connection have been reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. The right and left knee disorders are remanded, as is the claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection and increased ratings in several cases, including lung fluid, tinnitus, hearing loss, right lower extremity radiculopathy, hypertension, heart disorder, left arm disorder, and TDIU. The issues of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, hypertension, a heart disorder, and a left arm disorder are remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for further development regarding whether the Veteran's second period of service is qualifying service and if he was insane at the time of misconduct.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for a gastrointestinal disorder and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to new and material evidence. The claims are now remanded for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and opinions on etiology.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, bilateral cold weather injury to the upper extremities, and bilateral cold weather injury to the lower extremities as there was no evidence of a diagnosed disability prior to death.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including unspecified anxiety disorder and schizophrenia, had their onset in service. The claim is granted as the criteria for service connection are met.

The Board denied an initial rating higher than 10 percent for schizophrenia, finding the evidence insufficient to establish that the Veteran's symptoms created occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform tasks.

The Veteran's appeal is granted for an initial disability rating of 50 percent for post traumatic headaches. The application to reopen the previously denied claim of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is granted. Issues related to residuals of a stroke, right cornea disability, and service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, to include a specified anxiety disorder is granted. The Veteran's peptic ulcer (duodenal) with adenomatous polyp of the duodenum status post Whipple procedure is also granted at a 60 percent rating.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and further development is needed.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and a need for further development, including obtaining private treatment records from SSA and Northwest Human Services.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left knee disorder, varicose veins, and an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD. The evidence did not show that any of these conditions had their onset in service or were related to service.,Service treatment records were silent for complaints or treatment of any of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disability prior to April 20, 2009. The case is referred to VA’s Director of Compensation Service for extraschedular consideration.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is granted a higher rating of 70 percent, but no greater. The issue of entitlement to TDIU is remanded for further development.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus due to exposure to Agent Orange, but the claims for lower back pain and an unspecified acquired psychiatric disorder (specifically anxiety disorder) are remanded as there is insufficient evidence regarding their etiology.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of his left hip disability and acquired psychiatric disorder.