Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2020

Your appeal for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, has been dismissed due to the Veteran's death.

The appeal of the claim for hearing loss is dismissed. The request to reopen the previously denied claim for an acquired psychiatric disability is granted, but service connection is not established. The claim for tinnitus is denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding his bilateral eye disability, acquired psychiatric disorder, and Barrett’s esophagus. The issues of service connection will be reconsidered based on the new evidence provided.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination for his dermatitis and for additional evidence related to his PTSD claim.

The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's claimed acquired psychiatric condition, finding that there was no valid diagnosis of PTSD and that his chronic adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood is not related to his active service or other service-connected disability.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and to obtain a medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's Crohn's disease. The other issues remain denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as PTSD due to military sexual trauma is granted. The claims for service connection for plantar synovial cyst and bilateral knee disorder are remanded. The claim for service connection for abdominal injury is also remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, right knee disorder, and left knee disorder. The issue of entitlement to VA burial benefits is also remanded due to its inextricably intertwined nature with the other issues.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding the nature and etiology of his bilateral foot condition, acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD), bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The VA is required to provide a VA examination and opinion in these cases.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to address the Veteran's claim for service connection for a sleep disorder, including both sleep apnea and an acquired psychiatric sleep disorder. The case will be remanded to obtain VA treatment records, verify stressor events, and schedule a VA examination.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further action due to insufficient evidence and credibility determinations regarding the Veteran's claimed psychiatric disorder, left shoulder disability, and TDIU.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an acquired psychiatric condition and cervical spine condition due to incomplete records and need for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him in need of regular aid and attendance or substantially confine him to his home, thus SMC based on the need for aid and attendance or at the housebound rate is denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for asthma, sleep apnea, and psychiatric disabilities (including PTSD and depression) due to a lack of recent VA examinations. The Veteran is required to provide updated treatment records and undergo VA examinations to assess these conditions.

The appeal for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremity, hypokalemia, an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as PTSD), and hypertension is denied. The appeal for service connection for hypokalemia was dismissed due to withdrawal by the Veteran.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for Type II Diabetes Mellitus, an acquired psychiatric condition (including PTSD and depression), and a heart condition. The claims are remanded for further development including VA examinations to determine the nature of these conditions.

The Veteran's PTSD claim is denied due to the lack of corroborated stressor. The acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, specifically depression, is granted as it was incurred during service.,Service connection for insomnia secondary to service-connected psychiatric disability (depression) is granted. Service connection for hypertension is remanded for additional development.

The Board has decided that additional development is needed before the claims on appeal can be fully considered. The Veteran's service records are incomplete, and VA needs to obtain his Social Security Administration (SSA) disability benefits decision and any medical records used in making this determination. Additionally, all outstanding VA medical records should be obtained.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for aggravation of a heart disorder and an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that new evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim. The Board also found that the Veteran's pre-existing psychiatric disability existed prior to his entrance into military service and was not aggravated during service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and major depressive disorder, is granted. The Board also finds that the Veteran has a current diagnosis of PTSD and major depressive disorder related to his military service. However, the issue of service connection for a heart disability other than IHD is remanded as it requires additional medical examination.