Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2021

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is rated at a 50% disability rating, effective September 2017. The Board found that the symptoms most closely approximated those of reduced reliability and productivity due to symptoms such as difficulty understanding complex commands, forgetting to complete tasks, disturbances of motivation and mood, and difficulty establishing and maintaining effective work and social relationships.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete medical records and requests for authorization forms.

The Board has remanded the case due to failure to obtain private treatment records, and additional development is needed.

The Board has withdrawn the Veteran's appeal for diabetes mellitus and granted service connection for acquired psychiatric disorder and hip disability. The issue of service connection for back disability is remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and a lumbar spine disorder due to insufficient evidence. The Veteran is required to provide updated VA treatment records, including mental health treatment records. He must also be provided with adequate VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinion and procedural issues.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, an acquired psychiatric disorder, and TDIU due to service-connected disorders. The AOJ is instructed to obtain additional evidence regarding the Veteran's inservice stressor events and conduct a new VA examination to address the nature and etiology of his acquired psychiatric disorders and bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and examination due to incomplete information regarding service connection claims, including a lack of opinions on whether the Veteran's conditions are related to his service or service-connected disabilities.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions on pre-existence and aggravation of service-connected conditions.

The Board has remanded several issues for further development and medical opinions. The Veteran's claim for service connection for dyslipidemia was denied as it does not qualify as a disability for VA compensation purposes. Other claims are pending, including those for sleep apnea, back disability, hip disabilities, ankle disabilities, psychiatric disability, and inguinal hernia.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including heart disability, hypertension, peripheral neuropathy in various extremities, and a psychiatric disorder. The primary issue is whether these conditions are secondary to his service-connected PTSD or due to herbicide agent exposure.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development and adjudication due to insufficient evidence to corroborate his claimed in-service stressors.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is proximately due to chronic pain resulting from his service-connected bilateral shoulder and elbow disabilities, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, right ear hearing loss, and tinnitus. The case is remanded to obtain additional opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's tinnitus.,Right ear hearing loss was noted at entry into service but not shown to have been aggravated during active duty.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for osteosarcoma, but has remanded several other claims due to lack of evidence or need for further examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development, including verifying her in-service stressor and obtaining relevant medical records. The issues of service connection for acquired psychiatric disability (major depression with anxious distress), low back disability, left arm disability, and bilateral ankle disability resulting in numbness are all pending.

Effective January 28, 2020, a 70 percent rating for the psychiatric disability is granted. Prior to this date, a rating in excess of 50 percent is denied.

The Board has remanded the claims of an initial compensable rating for pseudofolliculitis barbae, service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and other specified trauma disorder), and service connection for sleep apnea due to insufficient reasoning in the March 2020 decision.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for residuals of heat stroke, hypertension, an acquired psychiatric disorder (to include PTSD), and psoriasis due to outstanding service treatment records. The Veteran was diagnosed with psoriasis while stationed at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, and heat stroke during his deployment in Saudi Arabia.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder on a direct basis. The issue of entitlement to Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) is being remanded.