Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD. The VA examiner was instructed to provide a more detailed opinion on whether the Veteran's current conditions are related to his military service.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for schizophrenia, finding that the claim was not filed until January 7, 2009.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability other than primary substance abuse, to include PTSD, is dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Veteran's cervical spine disorder, lumbar spine disorder, headache disorder, acquired psychiatric disorder (including depression, dementia, and PTSD), and traumatic brain injury are not service-connected.,Service connection was denied for all claimed conditions.

The Veteran's appeals for right eye cataracts and left eye cataracts have been dismissed due to his death. The appeal regarding the psychiatric disability was also dismissed as it is not related to service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and has remanded the remaining issues related to PTSD, elbow disorders, back disorder, hip disorders, knee disorders, and foot disorder.

The Board has granted service connection for schizophrenia and assigned an effective date of February 2, 1978. The Veteran's original claim was denied in April 1978 but received relevant military personnel records that were not previously considered.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, based on new evidence submitted after a previous denial. The evidence supports a diagnosis of PTSD and links it to in-service stressors.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD, finding that there was no evidence of a current disability related to service.

The Board has decided to remand the cases of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, migraine headaches, and coronary artery disease due to insufficient evidence. The Veteran's claims are based on secondary service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a psychiatric disability and entitlement to TDIU, finding that his current psychiatric disability was not incurred in or related to service. The Board also found that his service-connected disabilities did not result in unemployability.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for additional medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is caused or aggravated by his service-connected sinusitis.

The Board has directed the readjudication of the Veteran's TDIU claim for the entire period on appeal, including from September 24, 2010. The RO is instructed to consider all relevant evidence and determine if the Veteran meets the criteria for a TDIU based on his service-connected conditions.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is related to his military service, but further development is needed due to incomplete information.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional examinations and interviews, as well as further development of his claims.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder to include schizophrenia and sleep apnea, but remanded the cases of neck disability and back disability.

The Veteran's claims for right ear hearing loss, tinnitus, and sleep apnea to include as secondary to PTSD are denied. The claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder including PTSD is granted but the issue of service connection for left ear hearing loss is remanded.

The Veteran disagrees with the AOJ's implementation of an award of SMC at the level of 38 U.S.C. § 1114 (k) based on loss of use of a creative organ, which was effective from September 5, 2008, to December 1, 2013. The AOJ has not addressed this discrepancy in their decision and the Veteran is seeking clarification.

The Board has granted service connection for chronic headaches and remanded the issues of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and TDIU due to various disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected schizophrenia caused a TBI in August 2006, leading to his persistent vegetative state and need for regular aid and attendance. The Board granted service connection for residuals of the TBI and SMC based on the need for aid and attendance.