Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2021

The Veteran's service-connected acquired psychiatric disability is granted a 100 percent rating throughout the appeal period, and special monthly compensation (SMC) under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(s) is also granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and PTSD, finding no current diagnosis of PTSD and concluding that his schizoaffective disorder is not related to military service.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability is restored to a 40 percent rating effective June 1, 2018. The Veteran's headache and acquired psychiatric disabilities are each granted increased ratings of 50 percent.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, is rated at 50% from August 5, 2019. This rating reflects occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

The Board has denied a higher rating for sinusitis and granted service connection for neck strain. The cases of gastritis, insomnia, and low back disability are remanded for further evaluation.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service-connected. The Board has expanded the psychiatric claim to include all acquired psychiatric disabilities, and it is remanded for further examination and opinion regarding these claims. Gout, right lower extremity disability, left lower extremity disability, bilateral hearing loss, chronic liver disease (including hepatitis C), and back disability are also remanded due to lack of sufficient medical evidence.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, and for erectile dysfunction due to a lack of credible supporting evidence regarding the Veteran's reported military sexual assault during service. The most probative evidence did not establish that his current psychiatric disabilities were incurred in or are otherwise etiologically related to his active duty service.

The Board denied service connection for schizophrenia and inguinal hernia, finding that the preponderance of evidence did not support a link to service.

The Veteran's psychiatric disability has been granted a 70% rating, and he is also granted entitlement to TDIU.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder was reopened and granted, while the claim for service connection for polysubstance dependence was denied.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including bilateral hearing loss, chronic paranoid schizophrenia, sleep apnea, and various fractures. The cases are being returned for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and TDIU have been dismissed due to his death.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hypertension, psychiatric disorder, and intestinal disorder due to herbicide exposure. Additional opinions are needed from VA clinicians.

The Veteran's service-connected right foot disability is found to have proximately caused his back disability. The Board has granted service connection for a back disability, but the issues of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and depressive disorder) and sleep apnea are remanded.

The Board has denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability and PTSD, finding that the Veteran's conditions pre-existed service and were not aggravated by military service.

The Board denied service connection for a back disability, left leg disability, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder. The Board found that the Veteran's current disabilities were not incurred in or caused by his military service.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the nature and etiology of any current low back, cervical spine, hearing loss, tinnitus, hepatitis C, acquired psychiatric disorder (including major depressive disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)), bilateral pes planus, and a cervical spine disorders. The case is REMANDED for these purposes.

The Veteran's claim is being remanded to determine if there are any records that support an earlier effective date for the grant of a 70 percent evaluation for his acquired psychiatric disorder, which includes PTSD and Anxiety Disorder. The Board will also seek additional medical opinions to assess whether the disability increased in severity prior to August 24, 2011.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's claimed disabilities and their relationship to service.

The Veteran's unspecified depressive disorder is granted as secondary to his service-connected left wrist condition. Service connection for a psychiatric disorder other than PTSD and major depression is denied.