Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2021

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression and schizophrenia, has been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for depression, an acquired psychiatric disability, a low back disability, and a right hand disability. The claim to reopen service connection for depression is also granted.

The Veteran's claims for a higher rating for his mental disorder and TDIU are being remanded due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors. The Board needs clarification from the VA examiner who conducted the July 2017 examination regarding their opinion on the Veteran's functional occupational capacity.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was evaluated as Level I in the right ear and Level III in the left ear, resulting in a zero percent disability rating.,There is no evidence of any current acquired psychiatric disorder or PTSD that can be linked to service.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's psychiatric disorder(s), including whether it is related to service, specifically exposure to malathion. The examiner should also consider the impact of his service-connected prostate and penile deformity conditions on his acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board dismissed the appeals for bilateral hearing loss, service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including schizophrenia and PTSD), and sleep apnea due to the Veteran's death.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as there is no current diagnosis of PTSD. The Veteran was previously diagnosed with schizophrenia, which accounts for his psychiatric symptomatology.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including cardiovascular disability, hypertension, erectile dysfunction, acquired psychiatric disability, neurological disability (vertigo), bilateral hip and knee disabilities, bilateral ankle disabilities, radiculopathy of upper and lower extremities, and a rating for multilevel spondylosis and mild spinal stenosis. The remand requires additional examinations and medical opinions to address the Veteran's claims.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations and medical nexus opinions regarding his claimed conditions, including coronary artery disease, acquired psychiatric disorder, neurobehavioral effects, bilateral lower extremity neuropathy, bilateral hand neuropathy, stroke, erectile dysfunction, and prostate disability. The claims are related to exposure at Camp Lejeune.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability and bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension and various psychiatric disabilities, including PTSD and major depressive disorder. The Veteran's current conditions are not shown to be related to his military service.

The Veteran's migraine headaches have been rated and remanded for further evaluation. His psychiatric disability remains unresolved.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, due to a lack of evidence supporting a diagnosis of PTSD or any other acquired psychiatric disability.

The Board has remanded two issues related to the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disabilities, including an initial rating prior to October 2017 and a higher rating thereafter. Additional development is needed due to incomplete records and insufficient analysis of relevant treatment records.

The Veteran was granted a TDIU on an extraschedular basis for the period from June 23, 2017 to July 27, 2019 due to his service-connected psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative joint disease, lumbar spine and hypertension have been reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. The claim for hernia, right side is denied as there is no medical evidence linking it to service or herbicide exposure.,Service connection has not been established for an acquired psychiatric disorder (to include PTSD) as the Veteran's claims are based on unsupported lay assertions without corroborating evidence.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection and TDIU due to inconsistencies in evidence, unverified stressor reports, and need for further examination.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate development of evidence regarding service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and its relationship to knee disabilities.

The Board has denied service connection for a prostate condition and remanded the claim of service connection for a psychiatric condition, to include as secondary to service-connected disability.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as he does not have a current diagnosis of bilateral hearing loss.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is denied as the evidence does not show that his tinnitus began in service or is due to service.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the right upper extremity and left upper extremity is remanded as further testing is needed to determine if it is related to diabetes mellitus.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability (including PTSD and mild cognitive impairment) is granted as new evidence has been added, but a VA addendum opinion is needed to determine if the condition is aggravated by diabetes mellitus.