Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and a digestive disorder due to new evidence received after the most recent statement of the case in October 2017.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including those for obstructive sleep apnea, right ear hearing loss, left ear hearing loss, psychiatric disabilities, cervical spine disability, right shoulder disability, nasal fracture residuals, left hand disability, right knee disability, left knee disability, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, headache, sinus disability, tinnitus, and erectile dysfunction. The Board also remanded the issue of an initial compensable rating for herpes simplex.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, chronic headaches, shoulder disorder, and foot disorder due to lack of adequate examinations. The Veteran is required to provide updated medical records and undergo VA examinations.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, however diagnosed. The Veteran's psychiatrist provided a diagnosis linking his current condition to military service.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder and granted it, finding a positive nexus to service.

The Board granted service connection for lumbar spondylosis as secondary to bilateral knee disabilities and denied the Veteran's claims for left hand/wrist disability, acquired psychiatric disability, right hip disability, left hip disability, cellulitis of the right upper extremity, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including major depressive disorder, schizophrenia, adjustment disorder, and PTSD, is reopened. The appeal is granted to this limited extent.

The Board has vacated the previous decision and found that service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (depression) and obstructive sleep apnea was not established, as there is no probative medical evidence linking these conditions to service or service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder, hearing loss, and tinnitus due to inadequate examination reports. The Veteran's service connection claims are being remanded for new examinations.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient rationale in the VA examination reports and conflicting opinions. The Veteran's back problems, left and right lumbar radiculopathies, and PTSD with alcohol use disorder are all being reviewed again.

The Board has decided that the Veteran does not have a current hearing loss disability and denied service connection for this condition. The cases of acquired psychiatric, cervical spine, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and traumatic brain injury are remanded due to incomplete or inadequate examinations.

The Veteran's service connection claims for diabetes mellitus, type II as a result of herbicide exposure are granted. The remaining issues (peripheral neuropathy, hypertension, acquired psychiatric disorder, and bilateral hearing loss) are remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for schizophrenia was dismissed because no substantive appeal was filed.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of TBI and PTSD with TBI, as these issues have been fully addressed by a prior rating decision.

The Veteran's tinnitus was granted service connection as it is related to his in-service exposure to acoustic trauma. The other claims for service connection were withdrawn by the Veteran.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for low back disability, acquired psychiatric disability (including anxiety disorder, mood disorder, polysubstance abuse, and PTSD), and sleep disorder due to an undiagnosed illness. The reasons include inadequate medical nexus opinions and inextricably intertwined issues.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, due to a lack of evidence showing that his claimed stressors occurred during active duty or that he developed any diagnosed psychiatric disabilities as a result of his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbar spondylosis and denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability (unspecified depressive disorder), including as secondary to the service-connected right leg fracture residuals.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and evaluations to determine the etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for diabetes mellitus, thyroid disorder, bladder cancer, cardiovascular disorder (mitral valve insufficiency), lung disorder, and acquired psychiatric disorder are denied as there is no evidence to establish in-service incurrence or a nexus between these conditions and his military service.