Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for various conditions, including a cardiac disorder and diabetes mellitus type II, due to exposure to herbicide agents. The issues are related as they all involve secondary service connection.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for headaches was denied. The claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including major depressive disorder and anxiety disorder, was granted. Service connection for PTSD was denied. Other claims were remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete records and insufficient VA examination. The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, will be reconsidered with new evidence.

The Board denied service connection for right shoulder, left shoulder, back, and right foot disorders. The Veteran's current diagnoses of these conditions were not established during or within one year after his separation from active duty.,Service treatment records did not document any complaints related to the claimed conditions.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD and depressive disorders, as there is no evidence of a current disability related to service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection and TDIU due to incomplete development in the previous remands.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are being remanded due to lack of compliance with previous Board directives. The issues include sleep apnea, an acquired psychiatric disorder (to include anxiety), COPD, and left intercostal muscle strain.

The Board has dismissed the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as they have been granted by a June 2020 rating decision. The issues of service connection for a stomach condition, to include GERD, and an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include adjustment disorder with anxiety, secondary to service-connected status-post inguinal hernia repairs are remanded.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, other than PTSD due to MST, is dismissed because the Veteran died during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's claims for service connection, including cervical spine disability, right and left hip disabilities, left wrist and elbow disabilities, psychiatric disability, sleep disability, and gastrointestinal disability. The effective dates for service connection are also being remanded.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability and right and left foot disorders, back disorder, heart disorder, pseudofolliculitis barbae, and acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD, anxiety, and depression) are all remanded for further development.,The Veteran has not provided sufficient evidence to establish a current disability for VA purposes for bilateral hearing loss. The Board finds the examination adequate as there is no evidence of a current disability for VA purposes.

The Veteran's TDIU claim from August 1, 2014 is granted. The Board also dismissed the issues of increased ratings for lumbar strain post-operative fusion and radiculopathy of the right lower extremity associated with the lumbar spine disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding his left ankle/foot disability, skin rash, and right eye condition. The issues of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, a left ankle/foot disability, a skin rash, and a right eye condition are all being remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's psychiatric disability and sleep disorder. The Veteran was not diagnosed with a mental health condition at his most recent VA examinations, but there is conflicting medical opinion. A new examination by a psychiatrist is needed to determine if these conditions are related to service.

The Board denied service connection for an esophageal or gastrointestinal disability and a psychiatric disability, finding that the evidence did not support a causal relationship to service, including exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.

The Veteran's service-connected schizophrenia, which has a permanent and total evaluation effective October 7, 2011, does not warrant an earlier effective date for Dependents Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have right ear hearing loss for VA purposes and therefore denied service connection for this condition. The issues of service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition (depression) and substance abuse are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for headaches and an acquired psychiatric disorder. The case is being remanded for further development.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including panic disorder and major depressive disorder, are found to be related to service. The Board granted the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes, neuropathy, and tinnitus have been dismissed.,The application to reopen the prior final disallowance of service connection for tinnitus has also been dismissed.