Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2020

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD and remanded the case to obtain updated VA treatment records and a VA examination. The Veteran is also entitled to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, but his cervical spine disability remains denied.

The Veteran's appeal for an initial compensable rating for allergic rhinitis, service connection for asthma, and service connection for PTSD is remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD) is not service-connected.,His erectile dysfunction and chest pain are not service-connected.

The Board has remanded four issues related to service connection: an acquired psychiatric disorder, irritable colon syndrome, IVDS, and sciatic neuropathy of the right lower extremity. The Veteran's claims for PTSD and MDD are based on private evaluations finding that he meets DSM-5 criteria for PTSD. For gastrointestinal and low back disorders, VA examinations are needed to determine if they are related to service. Regarding sciatic neuropathy, a medical opinion is required if IVDS is established.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to concerns about the adequacy of a previous VA examination and because there are outstanding VA treatment records that need to be obtained. The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability will now be reviewed again with new evidence.

The Veteran's initial rating for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis is denied as it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating. The ratings for bilateral hearing loss, acquired psychiatric disorder, and right knee disorder are also denied.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, specifically anxiety, has been granted service connection.,Service connection for squamous cell carcinoma (claimed as throat cancer) due to herbicide exposure and lung scars secondary to the same condition are pending and will be remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for a back disability, neck disability, and left lower extremity neurological disability. The appeal regarding the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is remanded due to insufficient evidence of record. The appeal regarding right ear hearing loss is also remanded.

Service connection has been granted for lumbar spine disability, bilateral hip disability, and left ankle disability. The right shoulder disability remains under review.,The acquired psychiatric disability (anxiety and depression) is now considered service-connected.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted service connection. The issues of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, right upper extremity neuropathy, right lower extremity neuropathy, and left lower extremity neuropathy are remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a diagnosed acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, in conformance with DSM-5 criteria. Therefore, service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss has been reopened and granted. The claims for Meniere’s disease, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease/Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, an acquired psychiatric disorder (to include generalized anxiety disorder), cirrhosis of the liver, a left shoulder disability, and radiculopathy of the left upper extremity are all remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS) and lumbar disc disease, finding that the Veteran's back disability is aggravated by his service-connected ankle disability. The other claims are remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, specifically whether it is related to service or secondary to his service-connected left knee disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination. The issues include an acquired psychiatric disorder, lumbosacral strain, and conjunctivitis.

The Veteran's schizophrenia, a psychosis, was diagnosed within one year of service discharge and the Board granted service connection based on this finding.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate response in a prior VA examination and lack of mental health records from service. A new VA examination is needed to determine if any diagnosed psychiatric condition, including PTSD, is related to service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for shingles or other skin disorder was granted. The claims for Parkinson’s disease, actinic keratosis, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and depression) are pending and will be remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient reasons and bases in the October 2017 decision, requiring a new VA examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's appeal for additional procedural and evidentiary development due to his relocation, homelessness, and lack of notification regarding VA examinations. The appeals for service connection for a skin disability and an acquired psychiatric disorder are now pending.