Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2022

The Board has remanded several issues related to service connection for various disabilities. The AOJ is instructed to review new VA treatment and examination records that were not previously considered.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for left knee condition and acquired psychiatric disorder due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology. The RO is instructed to obtain updated service treatment records, personnel records, and any other relevant records from the Veteran's periods of active duty for training (ACDUTRA) and inactive duty for training (INACDUTRA).

The Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus and an acquired psychiatric condition are remanded due to new evidence received after the June 2014 rating decision.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, but the Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine if his conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's application to reopen her service connection for pseudotumor cerebri was denied. The claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for a psychiatric disability was also denied. The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is currently rated at 70 percent.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee condition, hypertension, an acquired psychiatric disorder (to include PTSD, depression, and anxiety), left knee condition, and bilateral pes planus have been denied. The Veteran is being remanded for further examination and opinion regarding these issues.

The Board has remanded the claims for DIC benefits under both § 1310 and § 1151 due to concerns about VA's duty to assist in obtaining private records. The appellant must provide authorization for VA to obtain additional medical records, including those from Providence Hospital and any emergency services.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection of right knee and shoulder disabilities, but has remanded several issues including rating increases and effective dates.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including major depressive disorder, was denied as the evidence did not show a current disability related to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. The Board finds that additional development is needed in several areas, including pension eligibility verification, medical records updates, and VA examinations.,Service connection has not yet been established for any of the claimed conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, an acquired psychiatric disorder, and a low back disability have been granted. Service connection is established for these conditions based on direct evidence of their onset during or related to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied due to lack of new and material evidence.,The Veteran's right ankle disability claim is remanded as the RO failed to consider his request for rescheduling due to homelessness, resulting in a denial without proper consideration of this issue.,The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder (polysubstance abuse disorder and depression) claim is remanded as new and material evidence was not considered, and an additional VA examination is needed.,The Veteran's lumbar spine disability claim is remanded for a contemporaneous VA examination to determine the current severity of his condition.,The Veteran's left knee limitation of flexion claim is remanded for a contemporaneous VA examination and determination of whether the effective date should be earlier than April 14, 2015.,The Veteran's left knee osteoarthritis claim is remanded to determine if the severance of the separate rating was proper.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions, including irritable bowel syndrome and acquired psychiatric disorder, have rendered him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment since June 1, 2017. The Board has granted a TDIU rating on an extraschedular basis for this period.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further examination and evaluation due to the need for updated VA treatment records, a more current psychiatric examination, and an assessment of left ankle disability. The Veteran will be provided with a rating in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected left ankle scar, but no higher, based on pain testimony. For his psychiatric disorder and left ankle disability, further evaluation is needed to determine appropriate ratings.

The Veteran's left shoulder disability is granted as service-connected.,The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, depression, anxiety, sleep disturbance, and alcohol use disorder, is granted as service-connected.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for various conditions due to incomplete or outdated medical records. The Veteran is asked to provide updated VA and private treatment records.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and arranging for a new medical opinion. The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD and an acquired psychiatric disorder is now before the RO.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been reopened and remanded.,The claims of service connection for left shoulder disability and right shoulder disability have also been remanded due to new evidence received within one year of the AOJ decisions denying these conditions in 2015.,Service connection for tinnitus is denied as there is no evidence of chronic tinnitus during service or a current diagnosis attributable to service.

The Board has remanded the claims for coronary artery disease, hypertension, right leg condition, left leg condition, lower back condition, and psychiatric condition due to outstanding VA treatment records.

The Veteran's service-connected psychiatric disorder and migraine headaches resulted in unemployability prior to September 27, 2019. The Board granted a TDIU based on the near-equal evidence presented.