Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2021

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including ADHD and PTSD, but not schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. The evidence did not support a current diagnosis of these conditions.

The Board's decision is vacated in part due to a procedural error involving the processing of a Privacy Act request, and service connection for left knee disability, right knee disability, and acquired psychiatric disability are granted.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to conflicting diagnoses and unclear pre-service existence of psychiatric conditions. The Veteran's service records do not indicate any preexisting psychological conditions, but there is a significant change in performance after his return from Vietnam.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left ankle disability and an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, major depressive disorder, and anxiety, require further examination and development. The case is being remanded to allow for additional medical opinions and records.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate statement of reasons or bases for relying on the October 2012 VA examination, which wrongly believes that schizophrenia is a personality disorder and therefore not eligible for service connection. The claim will be remanded for a new VA examination and opinions.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to additional development being necessary.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of an opinion regarding whether the Veteran's son, A.M., was permanently incapable of self-support prior to attaining age 18. The Appellant contends that he is mentally like a teenager and unable to support himself.

The Veteran's hypertension, psychiatric disability (anxiety disorder and depressive disorder), hyperlipidemia or dyslipidemia (high cholesterol), diabetes mellitus, heart disability, and heat exhaustion residuals were not shown to have originated during active service.,Service connection for these conditions was denied as the evidence did not establish a relationship between the disabilities and active service.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder has been productive of no more than occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks, warranting a disability rating of 30 percent.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disability and an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, an acquired psychiatric disability, a respiratory condition including asthma and sleep apnea, and a back condition. The cases are remanded to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and related conditions are all granted as secondary to his service-connected psychiatric disability. The specific diagnoses of sleep apnea, left shoulder rotator cuff tear, heart disease, migraines, and foot disabilities are also granted.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete records, including missing personnel and medical records from service, treatment at Gardena Vet Center, and prison records. The Veteran's claims for PTSD will be further developed by obtaining these records.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including unspecified adjustment disorder, anxiety, insomnia and nightmare disorder, and depression. The Veteran's chronic headaches have also been granted service connection.

The Veteran's initial rating for psoriasis prior to June 23, 2019 and thereafter is denied as the evidence does not show that his skin disability covered more than 40 percent of his body or exposed areas.,For the period prior to January 29, 2013, the Veteran's initial rating for psychiatric disability is denied as he did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under any applicable diagnostic code.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to inadequate medical opinions regarding service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and a sleep disorder. The Veteran's claims are related to his experiences in service, including while serving at Camp Pendleton.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disability, specifically schizophrenia. The remand requires additional medical opinions to address whether the condition pre-existed service and if any aggravation during service is due to natural progression.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for a pulmonary disability and a psychiatric disorder, finding that there was no evidence to support these claims.

The Veteran's claim to reopen entitlement to service connection for a low back disability has been granted. The issues of entitlement to service connection for various other conditions have also been remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for insomnia, finding that it is a symptom of his service-connected schizophrenia.