Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2021

The Veteran's initial 10 percent rating for right cranial neuropathy, nerve V is granted. The compensable rating for residuals of left forearm fracture is denied. Service connection for erectile dysfunction, peripheral vascular disease, and peripheral nerve disability are all denied. Headaches service connection is also denied. An earlier effective date of September 12, 2013, for the award of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is granted.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability as secondary to his service-connected lumbar spine disability, resolving all reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development to address whether the Veteran's service-connected right knee disorder caused a functional increase in his right ankle disorder and to obtain an opinion regarding the nature and etiology of any diagnosed PTSD and acquired psychiatric disorders.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for erectile dysfunction as secondary to his service-connected disabilities, including medication, and for special monthly compensation based on a higher need for aid and attendance. The case is being returned to the VA for further examination and analysis.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to an inadequate medical opinion and the need for updated treatment records. The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is being reviewed again.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, a skin disorder, and hypertension. The Board found that there was no verified in-service stressor supporting PTSD, insufficient evidence linking current symptoms to service, and no chronicity of symptomatology post-service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to his inability to attend scheduled VA examinations. The issues include psychiatric disorders, migraine headaches, left ankle condition, bruxism, bilateral pes planus, and left foot bunion.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied. The Board found no current respiratory disability, hearing loss of the right ear, or right ankle disability. The Veteran also did not have a current acquired psychiatric disorder, left knee disability, right knee disability, tinnitus, right index finger metacarpal fracture, left ear hearing loss disability, positive tuberculosis skin test, hypertension, hemorrhoids, scars of the right knee, left ankle, and tailbone, or hidradenitis suppurativa. The Veteran's TBI claim was granted.

The Board denied service connection for right ankle, left ankle, right foot, and left foot disabilities as well as an acquired psychiatric disability (other than PTSD) due to a lack of medical nexus opinions linking these conditions to the Veteran's military service.

The Veteran's service connection claims for a chronic respiratory disorder and an acquired psychiatric disorder have been denied. The Board has remanded the claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder due to its complexity.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, and stomach ulcers secondary to PTSD due to inadequate VA examinations. The Veteran's claim for increased disability evaluation in excess of 10 percent for lumbosacral-spine disorder is also remanded.

The Board has determined that service connection is not warranted for bilateral hearing loss and an acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD). The Veteran's claim for PTSD was denied previously due to a lack of clinical diagnosis, but new evidence from a VA psychiatrist now supports the claim. Therefore, the case must be remanded for further development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depression, finding no probative medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for fecal incontinence and an acquired psychiatric disorder, as well as the claim for TDIU due to inadequate VA examinations. The examination reports only addressed whether the Veteran's current residuals of his service-connected ulcer condition aggravated his fecal incontinence or if it was caused by a residual of his service-connected disability. A new examination is needed.

The Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than specific phobia was denied. The reduction from a 100 percent to a 20 percent rating for his left shoulder disability, status post arthroscopic surgery, effective February 1, 2016, was upheld. His claims for higher ratings for the left shoulder and lumbar spine degenerative arthritis were denied. His claim for right lower extremity radiculopathy was also denied. The Veteran's specific phobia, bilateral hearing loss, cholecystectomy residuals, cholecystectomy scars, and right knee scars all received initial compensable ratings. Finally, his TDIU claim was denied.

The appeal for service connection for allergic rhinitis has been rendered moot by the grant of service connection in a July 2020 rating decision.,Service connection for a left knee disorder (claimed as severe left leg arthritis) is denied due to lack of evidence of an in-service injury or disease and no continuous symptoms since service.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including low back disorder, heart disorder, hypertension, fragment wounds to the left arm, right arm, and head, as well as an acquired psychiatric disorder (anxiety) and a lung condition. The denial is based on the appellant's dishonorable character of discharge from active military service.,The Board found that the appellant had two periods of AWOL in excess of 180 days during his period of active military service, which resulted in him having 1,764 days of time lost. The Board did not find compelling circumstances for the first period of AWOL.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, finding that his preexisting condition was not aggravated by service and thus did not meet the criteria for service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, to include persistent depressive disorder, finding that it is at least as likely as not incurred in service.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his acquired psychiatric disability, specifically PTSD, was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 30 percent prior to May 12, 2014 and did not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 70 percent from May 12, 2014.