Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2021

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection and TDIU due to incomplete development of records, including VA treatment records from Hamilton Medical Clinic. The inguinal hernia claim is also being remanded for a new opinion.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and a bilateral eye disability are remanded due to the need for additional evidence and medical opinions.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeal for service connection of diabetes mellitus. The remaining issues have been remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to uncertainty regarding whether his spine and hip disabilities preexisted service, as well as the need for additional medical records.

The Board has decided that more evidence is needed to determine if the Veteran's current psychiatric disorder is related to his military service. The case is being sent back for further examination and evaluation.

The Veteran's claim to reopen a service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability is granted. The case is remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for an examination with a different examiner.

The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date prior to June 1, 2012 for the grant of service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition has been dismissed.,An initial disability rating of 50 percent for an acquired psychiatric disorder is granted prior to June 15, 2018. The Veteran's symptoms include flattened affect, circumstantial speech, panic attacks more than once a week, difficulty understanding complex commands, impairment of short- and long-term memory, impaired judgment, impaired abstract thinking, disturbances of motivation and mood, and difficulty establishing effective work and social relationships.

The Veteran's appeal for a rating in excess of 10 percent for left knee DJD limitation of flexion was denied. A separate rating of 10 percent for left knee DJD instability is granted. Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is granted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a lower back disorder and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to unclear notification of scheduled VA examinations. The appeals are now pending again.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, depression, and anxiety is denied as there is no current diagnosis of PTSD.,Service connection for erectile dysfunction is denied because the Veteran has not provided evidence that his condition was caused by a service-connected disability.

The Board has remanded the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including schizophrenia, due to the Veteran's inability to appear at a VA examination and his current health status.

The Veteran's depressive disorder is granted as secondary to his service-connected disabilities.,Left and right knee arthralgia associated with sarcoidosis are both granted, with the left knee also diagnosed with DJD and a meniscal tear.

The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, has been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, and for Bipolar Disorder and Anxiety Disorder due to the lack of credible supporting evidence that the claimed in-service stressors actually occurred.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted service connection. The issues of acquired psychiatric disability and right ear hearing loss are remanded for further development.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for a new VA examination and medical opinion regarding the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, as his previous opinions were found to be insufficient.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, is denied. A disability rating of 40 percent for gout is granted. The criteria for increased ratings for thoracolumbar spondylosis of L5 with degenerative disc disease are not met prior to December 3, 2019 and subsequent to that date. Increased ratings for left knee and right knee disabilities are also denied. A separate rating of 10 percent for instability of the right knee is granted. The Veteran's claim for a total rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU) effective October 1, 2020 is granted.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA medical opinion and potential outstanding records. The Veteran should be given an opportunity to provide additional information, and a psychiatric examination is needed to determine if PTSD or other acquired psychiatric disorders are related to service.

The Veteran's application to reopen a previously denied claim for service connection for lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma and several other issues were dismissed. The claim of service connection for a psychiatric disability, including PTSD and anxiety, was reopened due to new evidence. Other claims remain pending.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection of erectile dysfunction, migraines, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (including mood disorders, major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, and PTSD) due to the death of the appellant.