Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2021

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and a traumatic brain injury due to incomplete records and need for additional medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and TDIU due to inadequate examination findings, particularly regarding PTSD. The case will be returned for a new VA examination using DSM-IV criteria.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not preclude her from securing and following substantially gainful employment consistent with her educational and occupational experience, thus the TDIU claim is denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions and need for updated VA treatment records. The issues include chronic fatigue syndrome, chronic constipation, PTSD, bilateral hip disability, hand disability, foot disability, right elbow disability, left elbow disability, and bilateral knee disability.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed because he died during the pendency of his case, and the Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of his claim.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a lumbar spine disability and acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD) due to insufficient medical opinions. The Veteran's current disabilities are not shown to be related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hypertension/blood pressure disability, transient ischemic attack/stroke, coronary artery disease (CAD), kidney disease, stage 3, headache disability, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and psychiatric disability due to inextricably intertwined issues.

The Veteran's appeal for a rating in excess of 70% for his acquired psychiatric disability (PTSD) is denied. The appeal for TDIU from September 10, 2017 to September 9, 2018 is also denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including her acquired psychiatric disorder, left knee disability, and back disability, have rendered her unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment from April 19, 2010, to May 3, 2020. The Board has granted TDIU on an extraschedular basis for this period.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining verification of a recruit suicide and counseling records. The appellant is also to be scheduled for a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any currently diagnosed psychiatric disorder.

The Board has granted a 70 percent disability rating for service-connected schizophrenia from February 20, 2009 through February 6, 2018, finding that the Veteran's symptoms resulted in occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.

The Veteran's appeals regarding ratings and service connection for various disabilities have been dismissed due to her withdrawal of the appeals.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his left knee disability and any acquired psychiatric disorder. The claims for bilateral hearing loss and service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder are not addressed in this decision.

The Veteran's tinnitus, acquired psychiatric disorder (including schizophrenia, a depressive disorder, and/or anxiety disorder), headaches, left foot bunion, and right foot bunion are all granted service connection.,Service connection for the acquired psychiatric disorder is granted based on continuity of symptomatology.

The Veteran's back disorder is remanded for a new VA examination to determine if it is related to his in-service slip and fall injury.,The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and Major Depressive Disorder, is remanded for an addendum opinion addressing whether it is secondary to the service-connected back disorder or tinnitus.,The Veteran's headaches are remanded for a VA examination to determine if they are related to his in-service complaints of head pain and/or service-connected tinnitus.,The Veteran's hypertension claim is remanded for an addendum opinion on whether it is secondary to his acquired psychiatric disorder and/or back disorder.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions and need for further examination.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD. As the only issue on appeal is now resolved, the case is dismissed.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete development and a need for an addendum opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims to reopen her service connection for TBI and an acquired psychiatric disability, but has remanded both issues due to insufficient evidence regarding their etiology.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, headaches, and obstructive sleep apnea due to incomplete medical opinions and lack of compliance with prior remand directives. The TDIU claim is also being remanded.