Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2021

The Veteran's psychiatric disability, other than PTSD, and colon polyps have been granted service connection. The effective date for the grant of service connection is September 26, 2019.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that the Veteran's current condition is not related to his military service and did not manifest within one year of separation.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient development and failure to issue a Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC). The Veteran's claims for service connection, disability ratings, and evaluation remain pending.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depression, as well as depressive disorder secondary to service-connected disabilities. The evidence did not support a diagnosis of PTSD or any other acquired psychiatric disorder, and there was no evidence that the depressive disorder was incurred in service or aggravated by service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss and an acquired psychiatric disorder have been granted. The claim for hearing loss is remanded, while the claim for a psychiatric disability remains pending.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including an anxiety disorder, is related to his service-connected peripheral neuropathy. Service connection for coronary artery disease was granted with effective date of August 26, 1987. The rating for coronary artery disease from February 25, 2003 to July 28, 2010 was increased to 60 percent.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for dermatitis and service connection for a psychiatric disability has been dismissed as she withdrew her appeal prior to the Board making a decision.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate opinion regarding service connection for PTSD and schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type. The examiner was requested to provide an opinion on whether these conditions are related to fear of hostile military or terrorist activity during service in Vietnam.

The Board denied service connection for a psychiatric disability including PTSD, schizophrenia, and anxiety. Service connection was also denied for diabetes mellitus, glaucoma, and gastrointestinal (GI) disorder. The right ankle disability claim is remanded.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings of his low back disability, left and right lower extremity radiculopathy, and psychiatric disability have been dismissed as the Veteran has withdrawn these appeals.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequate opinions regarding his headache disability and acquired psychiatric disabilities, including PTSD and major depressive disorder. The case will be returned for further proceedings.

The Board has remanded the case due to inconsistencies in psychological findings and diagnoses, requiring further development of the record.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is being remanded due to conflicting medical opinions and the need for additional evidence.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and a need for further examination. The issues include psychiatric conditions, arthritis, head injury residuals, neck condition, and bone spurs.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder and a rating in excess of 10 percent for residuals of meningococcal meningitis prior to April 15, 2019 was denied. The Board found no valid diagnosis of an acquired psychiatric disorder and that the Veteran did not have a service-connected psychiatric disorder to serve as the basis for his claim of secondary service connection for substance abuse. The Veteran's residuals of meningitis were rated at 100 percent under DC 6205.

The Board has found that the Veteran has shown good cause for missing VA examinations related to his service connection claims. The Board has therefore ordered new VA examinations to determine if any of the claimed conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for all issues related to left knee instability, left knee degenerative arthritis, and bilateral hearing loss. He is satisfied with the current ratings assigned.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various musculoskeletal and psychiatric conditions due to incomplete development of records from his active duty service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for headaches, which are secondary to his service-connected recurrent herpes simplex, is granted. The claim for service connection for PTSD is remanded due to insufficient attempts by the RO to corroborate the alleged in-service stressors.

The Board has decided the service connection claims and found them denied. The issues of entitlement to service connection for a jaw disorder, an acquired psychiatric disorder, and a right knee disorder are remanded due to insufficient evidence in the record.