Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2021

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the schedular requirements for a TDIU, but his case is referred to the Director of Compensation Service for consideration as to whether he is unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation due to these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for her right knee disabilities and service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and opinions.

The Veteran's claims for cervical spine, lumbar spine, and respiratory disabilities have been remanded due to the need for additional evidence.,New claims for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, tinnitus, acquired psychiatric disability (claimed as posttraumatic stress disorder with alcohol use dependence), heart disability (claimed as ischemic heart disease and/or residuals of stroke), hypertension, and TDIU are also being remanded.

The Veteran's service connection claims for TBI and PTSD have been granted. The claim for a higher rating for the lumbar spine disorder is denied, but the case is REMANDED as it may be affected by the grant of service connection for PTSD.

The Board finds that further development is necessary to determine the Veteran's service connection claims for a low back condition and an acquired psychiatric disability.,Specifically, additional records from Loma Linda VAMC are needed to establish continuity of symptomatology.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for rheumatoid arthritis and an acquired psychiatric disorder should be remanded due to the need for additional medical examination.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, finding that the Veteran's current psychiatric disorders are not related to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected psychiatric disorder and eczematous dermatitis with acne, pseudofolliculitis barbae, and prurigo nodularis do not meet the criteria for special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance or housebound status.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and opinion regarding service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and upper extremity neuropathy. The Veteran's claims are not related to his service-connected conditions or exposure to herbicides.

The Board has granted service connection for hemorrhoids. The right ankle disability and acquired psychiatric disability are remanded due to insufficient consideration of the Veteran's lay statements.

The Board has remanded the case due to concerns about the Veteran's service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder and its impact on his employability. The Veteran may be eligible for a TDIU based on this condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression. The case will be returned for further development and an additional VA examination.

The Board has remanded three issues: 1) the issue of entitlement to an initial evaluation greater than 30 percent for bilateral pes planus, 2) service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (depression), and 3) service connection for left and right ankle/leg disabilities. The Veteran's depression is secondary to his service-connected foot disabilities, but the VA examiner’s opinion was inadequate as it did not address the relationship between pain caused by service-connected disabilities and the Veteran's depression. For the ankle/leg issues, the VA examiner found that the degenerative joint disease of the bilateral ankles is not proximately due or aggravated by the service-connected foot disabilities. The obesity causing the Veteran's degenerative joint disease of the bilateral ankles was also not addressed in the opinion.

The Board has decided that the Veteran does not have a hearing loss disability for VA compensation purposes in either ear and denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The psychiatric claim is remanded as the evidence of record is insufficient to determine if any diagnosed psychiatric disorders are related to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including diabetes mellitus type II, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including anxiety and depression), eye disorders, shortness of breath, hypertension, kidney disorder, heart disorder, neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, are all denied as there is no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings of right knee laxity and chondromalacia patella was dismissed due to the Veteran's withdrawal.,A 40 percent rating for radiculopathy of the right lower extremity is granted, effective from December 6, 2013.

The Board has denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and remanded the issue of secondary service connection for GERD. The case is being returned to the RO for further development.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevented her from obtaining or retaining substantially gainful employment prior to August 23, 2019. The Board has remanded the issue of TDIU for further action by the Director, Compensation Service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, has been reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. However, the case is remanded as further medical examination is needed to determine if the claimed stressor occurred and whether any diagnosed conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for various conditions, including residuals of testicular injury, hypertension, erectile dysfunction, bilateral cataracts, psychiatric disability (depression), and obstructive sleep apnea, was granted. The effective date is not specified.