Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2022

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection and TDIU due to issues related to the Veteran's character of discharge from service. The case will be returned for further development, including obtaining an addendum opinion on whether the Veteran was insane at the time of misconduct leading to his discharge.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for left ear hearing loss is dismissed. The claim for service connection for right ear hearing loss and acquired psychiatric disorder is remanded due to new evidence submitted since the last denial.

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to determine the existence and etiology of several service-connected conditions, including hypertension, left knee disorder, aching joints, tinnitus, skeletal arthritis of the entire joint system, left elbow disorder, bilateral eye disorder (including sensitivity to light), right knee disorder, bilateral hip disorder, low back disorder, bilateral hearing loss, sleep apnea, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and bipolar disorder), right elbow disorder, and headache disorder. The Veteran's claims are being remanded for further development.

The Veteran's HIV-related conditions are being remanded for further evaluation, including service connection for secondary psychiatric disability, bilateral hip and shoulder disorders, migraine headaches, peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, hypertension, and testicular hypofunction.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and a left leg disability, but remanded the issue of initial rating for left foot pes planus.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is related to service, specifically his in-service grenade qualification event and reported racism in the military.

The Veteran's appeal for a disability rating exceeding 70 percent for acquired psychiatric disorders from August 6, 2013 is dismissed. The Veteran's claim for an initial 70 percent disability rating for his acquired psychiatric disorders is granted.

The Veteran's spine disability is granted as it was caused by an in-service fall.,Service connection for the acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, generalized anxiety disorder, and major depressive disorder, is granted due to credible evidence linking his symptoms to service. His tinnitus is also granted as its onset during active-duty service is supported by competent evidence.,Entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss and total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) are remanded.

The Veteran's schizophrenia is remanded for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his condition.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including MDD and alcohol use disorder, was granted. The claim for PTSD was denied due to lack of verified in-service stressor event. Service connection for primary insomnia, secondary to the acquired psychiatric disorder, is also granted.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection of various conditions secondary to his service-connected sarcoidosis have been remanded by the Board. The issues include headache, joint and muscle pain, heart condition (claimed as an irregular heartbeat), hearing loss, and a psychiatric disorder.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for chronic joint pains, bursitis of the right wrist, chondromalacia of the left and right knee, and left ankle strain. The Veteran's psychiatric disorder (claimed as memory loss) is also being remanded.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD due to inconsistencies in the Appellant's account of events during service and reliance on inaccurate history.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar spine disorder, left hip disorder, right hip disorder, and acquired psychiatric disorder (to include depression). These issues are being remanded for further development.,New evidence received since previous decisions is sufficient to reopen the claims but does not establish service connection.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to issues with the appellant's discharge and the need for additional medical opinions regarding his left foot disability.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations and opinions are inadequate to address the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and a neck disability. The Board is remanding these matters for further development, including obtaining new examinations and addressing all of the Veteran's contentions.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional medical records and a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's psychiatric disability is related to service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss on a presumptive basis. Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, is remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and a neck disability (secondary to service-connected bilateral shoulder disabilities) were denied. The Board found no current diagnosis of an acquired psychiatric disorder, and the neck disability was not determined to be caused or aggravated by the service-connected bilateral shoulder disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is at least as likely as not related to his service, specifically the news of his cousin's death in Vietnam. As a result, the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is granted.