Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2021

The Veteran's petition to reopen the claim for service connection of PTSD is granted. The claims for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder and SMC at the housebound rate are remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to a pre-decisional error in VA's duty to assist, specifically regarding verification of an alleged event during service. The Veteran is seeking service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and a knee disability.

The Veteran's migraine headaches and acquired psychiatric disorder are rated at 50% each prior to November 15, 2018. The Board has determined that a higher rating is warranted for both conditions.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for schizophrenia and granted it, finding that the Veteran's condition had its onset during his active duty.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection and TDIU due to inadequate efforts in obtaining VA treatment records from 1994 to June 2001, as well as from August 2020 to September 2020. The Veteran's claim will be further developed before being reconsidered.

The Board has determined that there is not substantial compliance with previous remand directives regarding the issues on appeal. The Veteran's claims for an increased rating for his acquired psychiatric disorder, SMC based on housebound status and/or aid and attendance, and TDIU are being remanded due to incomplete records and inadequate VA opinions.

The Veteran's GERD is rated at 10 percent, but the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted based on his symptoms.,For service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder, diabetes mellitus, and lumbar spine degenerative arthritis, additional development is needed as remanded by the Board.

The Veteran's COPD is related to in-service exposure to solvents and other cleaning materials.,Right leg PAD and left leg PAD are secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus.,There is no evidence of a current diagnosis of PTSD or any acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as persistent stressor disorder and other specified stressor disorder, is related to service. The Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has granted the petitions to reopen claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and asthma, but has remanded the remaining issues due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for a right shoulder condition and an acquired psychiatric condition, finding that there is no evidence to support a nexus between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's requests to withdraw his appeals for service connection of various disabilities, including skin condition, bilateral ankles, bilateral knees, neck, left ear hearing loss, low back pain, and psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and a personality disorder). The claims for head injury with residual headaches have been remanded.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD with TBI) and migraine headaches have been granted initial ratings of 100 percent and 50 percent, respectively.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a sinus disability and an acquired psychiatric disability to include PTSD, finding that there is no nexus between these conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, diabetes mellitus, Parkinson's disease, and an acquired psychiatric disorder have all been granted. The effective dates are not specified as they were granted upon receipt of the claims.

For the appeal period prior to July 13, 2017, the Veteran's service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder resulted in occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform tasks.,For the appeal period from July 13, 2017, the evidence is in equipoise as to whether the Veteran’s service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder results in total occupational and social impairment.

The Veteran's psychiatric disability caused occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity prior to August 13, 2020. A higher rating is not warranted at any time during the appeal period.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected schizophrenia contributed to his death from respiratory failure with metastatic pancreatic cancer. The decision is granted.

The Board has remanded the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran’s death on a direct basis due to inadequate medical opinion in the previous decision.

The Veteran's vertigo and acquired psychiatric disorder are not service-connected.,Service connection for the thoracic spine disability is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability related to service.