Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral knee arthritis and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to insufficient medical opinions addressing the Veteran's combat service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a right foot disability and psychiatric condition have been denied. The appeal to reopen the right foot disability claim was also denied due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions and development of records. The issues include hypertension, right leg disorder, left leg disorder, left ankle disorder, left hip/groin disorder, lumbar spine disorder, right knee disorder, left knee disorder, right foot disorder, and left foot disorder.

The Veteran's chest pain disorder is denied as there is no evidence of its onset during service or due to a service-connected condition.,The left knee disorder and acquired psychiatric disorder are remanded for further examination and opinion. The COPD claim is also remanded.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is remanded, with the Veteran asserting his symptoms are related to in-service stressors. Service connection for COPD is also remanded based on the Veteran's assertion of gas exposure during service.,The left knee disorder and acquired psychiatric disorder are remanded for further examination and opinion. The COPD claim is also remanded.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, is remanded due to a need for additional medical opinions regarding the diagnosis and causation of his claimed conditions.

The Veteran's hepatitis C and acquired psychiatric disorder (including depression and PTSD) claims are denied as there is no evidence of a nexus to service.,The right hand, left hand, left foot, right knee, right hip, and right leg disability claims are denied due to the Veteran's failure to report for scheduled VA examinations without good cause.

The Board has remanded several issues related to service connection, including for right upper jaw disability, low back disability, left shoulder disability, arthritis, diabetes mellitus (due to herbicide exposure), and an acquired psychiatric disorder. The AOJ is instructed to review the additional evidence provided since the last SSOC.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric condition, specifically major depressive disorder, was granted a rating of 70 percent effective prior to April 23, 2014. The decision also denied an earlier effective date.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's psychiatric disability, including PTSD, is related to service and granted this claim. The issue of TDIU remains pending.

The Veteran is entitled to a TDIU from May 10, 2006 to January 21, 2019 and special monthly compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(s) effective September 9, 2008 due to his service-connected psychiatric disorder.

The Board has determined that further development is needed for the service connection claim related to an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and MDD. The claims for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for disabilities of the lumbar spine, cervical spine, and right and left shoulders, as well as the temporary total disability rating due to hospital treatment in excess of 21 days, are also remanded.

The Board has remanded the cases due to inadequate development, specifically failing to obtain medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed bilateral hearing loss and psychiatric disability. The claims are now pending for further development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety and major depressive disorders, is related to his military service. The claim for PTSD was previously remanded but no diagnosis of PTSD could be established.

The Veteran's left wrist disability and acquired psychiatric disorder are granted, with a 40% increased rating for lumbosacral strain effective April 17, 2017.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to conflicting medical evidence and missing records. The Veteran's schizophrenia, paranoid type, chronic is being reviewed again for a new opinion.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development and opinion regarding service connection claims, particularly addressing whether the Veteran's disorders are secondary to his service-connected right knee disorder.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for prostate cancer, soft tissue sarcoma of the right wrist, an acquired psychiatric disorder, and sleep apnea due to exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. The claims are being remanded because VA examinations were not conducted or opinions provided regarding these conditions.

The Veteran's TDIU, SMC at the housebound rate, and DEA benefits were granted effective from February 21, 2017. The Board denied earlier effective dates for these benefits.,There is no evidence of a permanent total service-connected disability prior to February 21, 2017, which would have allowed for SMC at the housebound rate.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to insufficient examination reports.

The Veteran's claim for bilateral hearing loss was withdrawn, leaving the issues of left knee disability and acquired psychiatric disability to be decided.,The Veteran's claim for left knee disability was reopened based on new evidence showing a connection to service. The claim for acquired psychiatric disability was granted as it is at least as likely as not related to service.