Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2023

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to their death during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the onset and continuity of the Veteran's psychiatric and esophageal disorders, as well as their relationship to service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral leg shin splints and schizophrenia has been reopened, with the new evidence supporting the reopening of the bilateral leg shin splints claim. The schizophrenia claim remains pending.

The appeal for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) is dismissed because the Veteran did not file a notice of disagreement to the January 2023 decision denying TDIU.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for schizophreniform disorder and broken toe (left foot) residuals due to insufficient evidence in his medical records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to issues related to her acquired psychiatric disorder, GERD, and hair loss. The claims are being remanded because she requested a rescheduled VA examination but did not attend it due to anxiety.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development and verification of stressor events.,Additional clarification is needed regarding whether the Veteran has a current diagnosis of pes planus and if it is related to his active-duty service. The AOJ will attempt to verify the Veteran's reported in-service foot pain and seek out any relevant medical records.,The AOJ must determine whether the Veteran has a current diagnosis of shin splints, and if so, whether they are related to his active-duty service. Verification is needed for the stressor event witnessed by the Veteran at Camp Pendleton.,The AOJ will need to clarify whether the Veteran has left elbow lateral epicondylitis and determine its relationship to his active-duty service. The AOJ must also obtain an opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's unspecified depressive disorder, including any potential superimposed condition on a personality disorder.,For the right knee disability claims, additional development is needed as the examiner did not provide range of motion measurements in non-weight-bearing and provided no explanation for why these could not be performed. The AOJ will need to obtain an opinion regarding whether the Veteran's pes planus was aggravated by service.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD and insomnia, obstructive sleep apnea, diabetes mellitus type II, and renal disability (chronic renal insufficiency) are all granted as they are presumed to be related to his in-service exposure to herbicides. The effective date is not specified.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to conflicting evidence regarding his current cervical spine disorder and acquired psychiatric disorder. The exact nature of any current cervical spine condition needs to be confirmed, and a VA examination should be obtained. Additionally, efforts should be made to verify the Veteran's reported in-service stressors related to car accidents and proximity to the North Korean border.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a right foot disorder, headache disorder, and whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim for entitlement to service connection for a psychiatric disorder (schizophrenia). The AOJ is instructed to obtain the appellant's missing medical treatment records from his U.S. Army Reserves service.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection due to potential outstanding records and new evidence.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for additional examinations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disability (including PTSD and dysthymia) due to inadequate VA examination opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions. The AOJ is instructed to obtain records from federal agencies and provide notice on personal assault stressors.

The Board has remanded the case due to new evidence received after the issuance of a Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC). The AOJ is required to review this new evidence and consider its impact on the decision.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to incomplete records and potential relevance of Social Security Administration (SSA) records.

The Board has determined that there is not substantial compliance with the remand directives and thus, a new remand is necessary to ensure due process and a complete record for the Veteran's claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disability and an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to conflicting opinions on whether the Veteran's TBI is related to service. The case will be reviewed with a new VA examination.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including an acquired psychiatric disorder, hypertension, low testosterone with erectile dysfunction, a sleep disorder, and heart disease. The need for VA examinations in these cases is indicated.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for coronary atherosclerotic heart disease, type II diabetes mellitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder diagnosed as an anxiety disorder have been granted. The decision is based on the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents during service at Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base in Thailand.