Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2021

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was denied, but his claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including Major Depressive Disorder, was granted. The case is remanded for further action on the TDIU issue.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for sight deterioration, an acquired psychiatric disorder, cluster headaches, a right foot disorder, and a right shoulder disorder due to insufficient evidence or lack of nexus between these conditions and active duty service.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, finding that the Veteran did not meet the regulatory requirements of entitlement to such a claim due to lack of proof of a current disability and inconclusive diagnoses.

The Board denied service connection for a bilateral eye disability, psychiatric disability, and sleep apnea. The Veteran's current disabilities were not shown to have had their onset in service or within one year of separation from service.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety disorder, insomnia disorder, and/or PTSD, is currently rated at 50 percent disabling. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a higher rating.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, and the Board has determined that new and material evidence was submitted to support his claims of a back disability, radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, bilateral shoulder disabilities, OSA, and headaches. The claim for vitamin D deficiency is denied as it does not constitute a recognized disability for VA compensation purposes.

The Board has granted an earlier effective date of May 29, 2018 for the grant of a 50% rating for the service-connected psychiatric disorder. The Veteran's claim for a higher rating and TDIU remains pending.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, other than PTSD, is granted. The claim for PTSD remains denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left ankle disability was granted with an effective date of January 23, 1981. The rating assigned is 10% from that date to July 25, 2017 for the left foot disability and from April 25, 2016 onwards.

The Board denied service connection for a lumbar spine disability, diabetes mellitus, type II, eye disability, and psychiatric disability (depression). The Veteran's lumbar spine condition is not related to his service. His diabetes mellitus, type II, was not shown within one year of separation from service. His eye disabilities are not related to service or a service-connected condition. His depression is considered as secondary to his service-connected bilateral pes planus.,The Board also denied service connection for hypertension and remanded the issue.

The Veteran's Parkinson's disease is related to in-service exposure to various environmental hazards, including the open sewage pit and hazardous chemicals.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (depression) secondary to service-connected Parkinson's disease is granted. The cognitive disorder is also granted as secondary to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and an acquired psychiatric disability (including PTSD, major depressive disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder with panic attacks) due to insufficient examination and medical nexus opinions.

The Veteran's claims for IBS and GERD have been denied as they are not service-connected.,The Veteran's claim for lumbar radiculopathy of the bilateral lower extremities has been remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is related to his military service and has granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic gastric muscle strain has been granted due to the submission of new and relevant evidence.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for chronic residuals of strep throat and damaged tonsils, an acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD), a sleep disorder (insomnia), tinnitus, and hypertension have all been denied as there is no new and relevant evidence submitted since the October 2018 rating decision.

The Veteran's service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder has not manifested in total occupational and social impairment, so the claim for a higher disability rating is denied.

The Board denied service connection for a psychiatric disability, including PTSD, as there was no evidence of a current disability and the Veteran's lay statements were not sufficient to establish a diagnosis.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for a back disability and an acquired psychiatric disorder have been reopened. The Board has also remanded several issues including the right knee, left knee, sleep apnea, TDIU, and rating for the right ankle.

The Veteran is granted a disability rating of 70 percent for his service-connected acquired psychiatric condition to include PTSD.,Service connection for muscle joint pain and cramps, as due to Gulf War Syndrome, is granted.,Service connection for abdominal pain with nausea and vomiting (claimed as a pancreatic condition), as due to Gulf War Syndrome, is granted.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a need for an updated VA examination and opinion regarding whether any current psychiatric disability was superimposed on top of the Veteran's diagnosed personality disorder while in service.