Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2022

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to issues with the adequacy of previous opinions and potential inextricability between the foot condition and psychiatric disorder.

The claims for service connection have been granted for the cervical spine disability, tremors of the right hand, and chronic headache disability. The claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder remains denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for asthma is granted, and the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability is remanded.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection of various conditions, including chronic fatigue syndrome, a heart disorder, angina pectoris, residuals of a ventral hernia, hepatitis, a lung disorder (atlectasis), hematochezia, gallstones, an autoimmune disorder, and a colon disorder. Service connection was granted for chronic sinusitis with allergic rhinitis.

The Veteran's diabetes, unspecified trauma and stressor related disorder, and right-hand disability are all granted as service-connected. The diabetes is presumed based on a diagnosis within one year of service discharge. The psychiatric condition is found to be at least as likely as not related to service. The right-hand disability is denied due to lack of in-service event or injury.

The Board dismissed the appeal for eligibility to direct payment of attorney fees based on past-due benefits awarded in a July 2021 rating decision because there was no final denial of fees issued.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral knee disability, arthritis, bilateral eye condition, headaches, acquired psychiatric disorder, and tremors are denied. The claims for bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, and erectile dysfunction are remanded due to duty-to-assist errors.

The Veteran's claims for a higher rating for hepatitis C and an earlier effective date for the 20 percent rating are being remanded. The claim for individual unemployability is also being remanded.

The Board denied service connection for a psychiatric disorder and a sleep disorder, finding that the evidence does not support a causal relationship between these conditions and active service. The Board also found no legal grounds to grant nonservice-connected pension benefits due to lack of wartime service.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral wrist, right ankle, and lumbar spine disabilities due to failure of the Veteran to appear for VA examinations.

The Veteran's application to reopen his claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder was granted. The effective date of the award is October 2014, when he filed the initial claim.,Service connection for bilateral upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy was denied as there is no evidence linking these disabilities to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and opinions regarding his claimed conditions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are remanded due to the need for additional examinations and consideration of his claims.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's claims, including service connection for ED, sleep apnea, a back disability, and an acquired psychiatric disability. The claims are being returned for further development.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus has been remanded. The claim for PTSD remains pending.

The Veteran's headaches were granted service connection as they had their clinical onset during service. The Board found the Veteran competent to identify the presence of headaches and resolved doubt in his favor, finding that service connection for headaches is warranted.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, due to in-service trauma. Service connection for PTSD pursuant to 38 U.S.C. § 1702 is denied as there was no diagnosed mental health disorder within two years of separation.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a liver condition and an acquired psychiatric disorder are remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and development of records.

The Board has identified new evidence since the March 2020 Supplemental Statement of the Case and requests that the Veteran confirm his desire for a hearing. The appeal is being remanded to allow for this review.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for left knee disability, right shoulder disability, and acquired psychiatric disorder. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service.