Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2020

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have caused them to require the regular aid and attendance of another person, which is granted for special monthly compensation based on need for regular aid and attendance (SMC A&A) effective November 1, 2013.

The Veteran's service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), is granted. The TDIU claim is remanded as it requires an initial rating for the service-connected condition.

The Board has remanded the issues of entitlement to increased ratings for an acquired psychiatric disorder due to new evidence and need for a comprehensive examination.

The Veteran is not competent to handle disbursement of Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) funds due to his mental incapacity resulting from service-connected schizophrenia.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected traumatic arthritis of the left first and second toes with metatarsalgia of the third toe. The TDIU claim is remanded due to its inextricably intertwined nature with the rating decision on service connection.

The Veteran's appeal of higher initial disability ratings for bilateral pes planus is dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeal at a Board hearing.,The Veteran’s claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (to include PTSD), hypertension, cardiomyopathy and congestive heart failure (claimed as hypertensive heart disease), tinea pedis of the right foot, tinea pedis of the left foot, obstructive sleep apnea (secondary to GERD/gastritis), a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for GERD/gastritis, a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for degenerative joint disease of the left knee, and a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for degenerative joint disease of the right knee are remanded.,The Veteran's appeal of higher initial disability ratings for bilateral pes planus is dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeal at a Board hearing.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete evidence and the need for additional examinations. The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is being reviewed.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition, including PTSD and Major Depressive Disorder, has been reopened. The Board found new and material evidence to support the reopening of the claim and determined that there is a reasonable possibility that his current psychiatric conditions are related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to additional relevant evidence being associated with the claims file since the January 2020 SOC.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to inadequate reasons and bases in previous decisions, requiring additional examinations and opinions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for paranoid schizophrenia because new evidence did not show a link between his current psychiatric condition and military service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and radiculopathy of the lower extremities, finding that there is no evidence to support a diagnosis or link between these conditions and his military service. The case is being remanded again due to incomplete medical records and lack of proper opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's conditions.

The Veteran's claims for Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and a psychiatric disorder have been granted. The Board dismissed the claim for TDIU as there is no case or controversy regarding this issue.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a sleep disorder, skin disorder, and acquired psychiatric disorder due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, finding that new and material evidence had not been received to reopen the claim of service connection for bipolar disorder. The Board also denied service connection for schizophrenia as there was no medical evidence showing it was related to service.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims for service connection as these issues have been fully granted by a November 2019 rating decision.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for erectile dysfunction and an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as PTSD). The decision found no current diagnosis of erectile dysfunction, and the VA examiner did not find a nexus between any diagnosed condition and service. The claim for PTSD was remanded due to inadequate examination.

The Veteran's psychiatric disability is found to be at least as likely as not related to his active duty service, and the claim for service connection is granted.

The Board has determined that the appellant's service connection claim for atypical psychosis, claimed as a nervous condition and schizophrenia, should be remanded due to an error in determining his eligibility based on active duty status. The claims file is incomplete and requires additional records such as military personnel records and mental health treatment records.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to errors in fulfilling VA's duty to assist, specifically regarding verifying the Veteran's reported stressors and providing a VA examination for PTSD.