Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2020

The Board has withdrawn the Veteran's appeals for certain claims and has remanded other claims due to new evidence or issues.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding service connection for PTSD and other acquired psychiatric disorders. The Veteran's claims will be reviewed with a new VA examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's claimed PTSD and other psychiatric disorders. The claim will be reconsidered after stressor verification is completed and a new VA examination is conducted.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression, is found to be related to his military service.,The Veteran's headaches are determined to be secondary to a service-connected acquired psychological disorder (depression).,There is no evidence of tinnitus that was incurred in and due to the Veteran's time in service.,The Veteran's back condition did not have its onset during service or within one year of discharge, nor is it shown to be causally related to any disease, injury, or incident in service.,Hepatitis B is not found to have begun during active service or be otherwise related to an in-service injury or disease.,The Veteran does not have a left foot condition that was incurred in and due to his time in service.,The Veteran does not have a right foot condition that was incurred in and due to his time in service.,Hypertension is not found to be related to the Veteran's military service or manifest within one year of separation from service.,The Veteran does not have a skin condition disorder that was incurred in and due to his time in service.,The Veteran does not have a sleep disorder that was incurred in or due to his time in service.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings and service connection was denied. The initial evaluation in excess of 30 percent for an acquired psychiatric disability, to include PTSD, is denied. An initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for coronary artery disease prior to August 5, 2019 is also denied. A TDIU from August 5, 2019 is granted, subject to the laws and regulations governing the payment of VA benefits. The appeal for service connection for a prostate disability was withdrawn.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and consideration. The issues of entitlement to service connection for cause of death and an earlier effective date for schizophrenia are being reconsidered.

The Board has remanded two issues: service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (previously claimed as PTSD) and service connection for sciatica of the bilateral lower extremities. The Veteran is to be provided with VA examinations to clarify his diagnoses and determine their etiology.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's claims, including service connection for various conditions and a rating for tinea versicolor. The AOJ is instructed to obtain VA treatment records from 1977 to 2014.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his lumbar spine disability, radiculopathy of the left and right lower extremities, and mental disorder was denied.,An effective date earlier than May 8, 2018, for a 100% rating for bipolar disorder is denied.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for right lateral ankle sprain and has remanded his service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board has denied service connection for a dental condition and remanded the issue of service connection for a psychiatric disorder due to insufficient evidence regarding the claimed stressors.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depressive disorder, was granted. The claims for prostate cancer, hypothyroidism, diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, hypertension, right eye residuals of pterygium, left eye residuals of pterygium, bilateral hip disorder, bilateral ankle disorder, and abdominal pain were all remanded.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including generalized anxiety disorder and persistent depressive disorder, is granted as service-connected. The right hand nerve disorder is denied as not related to service or a service-connected condition.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, has been reopened and is being remanded. The claims for right knee, right ankle, right foot/toe, and left foot/toe disabilities are also being remanded.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for schizophrenia and granted it, finding that new evidence supports a conclusion that the condition originated during active service.

The Veteran's right ankle disability is rated at 20 percent, and he has been granted service connection for his acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and MDD). The claim for a substance abuse disorder was remanded.

Service connection is granted for migraine headaches.,Service connection is denied for hypertension, a back disorder, and a psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service-connected.,The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for sarcoidosis, a lung disorder (to include as separate and secondary to sarcoidosis), a heart disorder (to include as secondary to sarcoidosis), an acquired psychiatric disorder (to include as secondary to sarcoidosis), and a kidney disorder (to include as secondary to sarcoidosis).,The Veteran's tinnitus is related to his noise exposure during service.

The Board has denied service connection for a psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD. Service connection for prostate cancer is remanded due to lack of sufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents during his active duty service aboard the USS Enterprise.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient medical evidence on file, and requests that VA examinations be conducted by specialists to determine the nature and etiology of the claimed conditions.