Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2021

The case is being remanded due to incomplete records and the need for a retrospective medical opinion.

The Board has remanded the claims due to insufficient development of the record, including obtaining private treatment records and scheduling VA examinations.

The Veteran's application to reopen the claim for service connection for anxiety disorder is granted. The Board also remanded issues related to TBI and PTSD.

The Board has ordered the VA to obtain updated clinical records and the Veteran's complete VA Vocational Rehabilitation file. Additionally, they requested a new opinion from a clinician regarding whether the Veteran’s psychiatric disorders had their onset in service or are otherwise related to a disease or injury in service.

The Board has remanded the appeals for service connection due to a mailing error of the Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC). The SSOC was sent to an incorrect address, and the Veteran needs to be provided with the correct version at his current address.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, and granted a TDIU based on the combined effects of multiple service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for PTSD and an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD to include depression due to insufficient evidence regarding the medical nexus between in-service incidents and current diagnoses.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder has been reopened and will be considered on the merits. The Board is unable to make a fully-informed decision without additional medical evidence regarding whether his current psychiatric condition is related to service.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability is denied as there is no current disability in either ear, and any pre-existing left ear hearing loss did not worsen during service.

The Board has remanded the claims for seizure disorder and acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD) due to insufficient evidence in previous examinations, particularly regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and other acquired psychiatric disorders, finding that there was no evidence of a diagnosis in accordance with VA regulations or credible supporting evidence of an in-service stressor. The Board also found that the Veteran did not meet the diagnostic criteria for PTSD.

The Veteran's claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder and TDIU was denied as there is no evidence of a service-connected condition. The Board found that the Veteran did not have any psychological treatment records during active duty, which affected his ability to establish service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and remanded the issues of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, muscle condition, sleep disorder, and eczema. The Veteran's TDIU claim is also remanded.

The Board has remanded the issues of increased ratings for right knee flexion and entitlement to a Total Disability Rating due to Individual Unemployability (TDIU) prior to August 10, 2020. The Veteran's GERD is rated at 30% and her psychiatric disability is rated at 70%. These ratings are not contested.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include depression. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to service.

The Board has decided one issue on appeal and remanded the remaining issues for further development. Additional development is necessary, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection of COPD, a back disability, and PTSD. The right toe disability is granted.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder is granted as service connected, and OSA is denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for additional development due to procedural issues and incomplete medical records.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's psychiatric disability existed prior to service and was not aggravated by it. The Veteran will need a new VA examination to provide an opinion on this issue.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, unspecified depressive disorder, is granted as service-connected.,The Veteran's neck disability (degenerative disc disease and degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine) is granted as service-connected.,The Veteran's right arm disability (right olecranon bursitis and degenerative arthritis) is granted as service-connected.,The Veteran's left arm disability, to include osteoarthritis of the wrist, is remanded for further development.,The Veteran's right hand disability (right elbow disability) is granted as service-connected.,The Veteran's left hand disability (osteoarthritis of the wrist) is granted as service-connected.,The Veteran's diabetes mellitus is remanded to determine if it was aggravated by his third period of active duty or related to his first two periods.