Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2023

The Board denied service connection for unspecified psychiatric disorder, hypertension, and OSA as there is no persuasive evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's military service.

The appeal of the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, increased ratings for bilateral knee disabilities, and TDIU due to service-connected disabilities have been dismissed.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a separate headache disability is denied as her headaches are considered part of her existing service-connected sinusitis.,The Veteran's psychiatric disorder does not meet the criteria for an increased rating, as it does not result in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

The petition to readjudicate the previously denied service connection claim for a low back disability is denied. The Board has found that new and relevant evidence was not received, and thus the claim cannot be readjudicated under the Appeals Modernization Act (AMA). The remand of the petition to adjudicate the psychiatric disability requires further action by the AOJ in obtaining service treatment records related to a psychiatric hospitalization during service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, lumbar spine disorder, and headaches (including migraines) due to missing STRs and personnel records. The Veteran's statements are considered true in determining the etiology of his conditions.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for TMJ and PTSD has been dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional examinations and opinions to address whether his claimed disabilities are related to service, particularly given his in-service exposures and symptoms.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for left shoulder degenerative arthritis was denied. The Board has remanded the case to consider service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder due to a duty to assist error.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to inconsistencies in his reported history of head trauma. The case requires further examination by VA to determine if any TBI preexisted service, whether it was aggravated by service, and its relation to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability and headaches have been reopened. The claim of increased rating for frostbite residuals and cervical radiculopathy has been remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient efforts in verifying the Veteran's claimed stressor. The AOJ must make another request to corroborate the Veteran's asserted stressor, including submitting requests to the textual reference staff at Archives II and Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC) for unit records.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for a left kidney disability, right hip disability, left hip disability, and right knee disability have been dismissed.,New and material evidence has been presented to reopen claims of service connection for a lumbar spine disability, erectile dysfunction, and psychiatric disability.

The Veteran's service-connected acquired psychiatric disability is currently rated at 70 percent, and the Board has denied a higher rating.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depression, finding that the Veteran's conditions are not related to his military service. The issue of entitlement to service connection for a sleep disorder was also denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to a failure to schedule and conduct a VA examination for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than depression. The Veteran's claims are currently under review.

The Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for recurrent anal fissure resulting from a September 2012 VA digital rectal examination is granted.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD) secondary to the anal fissure is also granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, with the psychiatric disorder and headaches being granted. The hysterectomy, left foot disability, right foot disability, tinnitus, left hip disability, and right hip disability claims remain denied.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for service connection for OSA, considering whether obesity can be an intermediate step in causing or aggravating his current disability. The case is sent back for another medical opinion.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened and granted for bilateral foot disability, right knee disability, sleep apnea, headaches, and hearing loss. The claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD remains pending.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for upper gastrointestinal disorder, acquired mental disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and urinary disorder have been denied.,No effective date has been granted as the criteria for service connection were not met for all conditions.