Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2023

The Board granted an earlier effective date of May 14, 1977 for the award of service connection for schizophrenia. The decision was based on new official service department records submitted after the original denial in February 1978.

The Veteran's service connection claims for right and left hip disabilities, an acquired psychiatric disability, and other conditions are granted. The remaining issues on appeal (left ankle disability, hand and shoulder disabilities, knee disabilities, thoracolumbar spine disability, cervical spine disability, and tinnitus) are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, right ear hearing loss disability, and vertigo have been denied due to lack of current diagnoses.,Service connection has also been denied for hypertension, kidney disease, diabetes mellitus type II, bilateral upper extremity and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, and a cardiovascular disorder (including CAD).,The Veteran's claim for entitlement to total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) has also been denied.

The Board has denied service connection for a respiratory disability, an acquired psychiatric disability including PTSD, MDD, and Schizoid personality disorder, and a bilateral shoulder disability due to lack of evidence showing these conditions had their onset during active duty or were related to service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder, a back condition, and residuals of Chiari malformation due to incomplete development. The Veteran's subjective experience in service is considered sufficient for diagnoses of PTSD and unspecified bipolar disorder.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, an acquired psychiatric disorder (anxiety), right shoulder disorder, left shoulder disorder, back disorder, left knee disorder, and right knee disorder. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension is granted under the PACT Act. The claim for service connection for a heart condition, including non-ischemic cardiomyopathy (claimed as ischemic heart disease), gastric ulcer, peptic ulcer, anemia, calculi of the gall bladder, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower and upper extremities, and PTSD is reopened due to new evidence received since the last final denial in November 2010.

The Board has remanded the case for further examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's psychiatric disorders, specifically PTSD and an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD.

The appeal has been dismissed due to the Veteran's death. The Board does not have jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this appeal at this time.

The Board has granted service connection for acquired psychiatric disability and hypertension, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether these conditions are secondary to the Veteran's service-connected traumatic brain injury (TBI).,Regarding bilateral hearing loss, the Board finds a remand necessary due to conflicting opinions on its etiology.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection and disability compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 due to inadequate compliance with previous remand directives, conflicting opinions, and need for additional medical evidence.

The Board has remanded the claims for cataracts, thyroid disability, and acquired psychiatric disability due to outstanding private treatment records and a need for dose assessment of radiation exposure. The Veteran's service personnel records indicate he participated in Operation Ivy, which may have exposed him to ionizing radiation.

The Board has withdrawn the claim for increased rating for erectile dysfunction and remanded the claims of service connection for acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as depression) and coronary artery disease with angina. The case is being returned to the RO for further development.

The Board denied the claim for an earlier effective date for TDIU, finding that it must be denied based on the date of claim. The effective date of service connection and TDIU cannot precede February 21, 2007 due to the filing dates of the claims.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for chloracne, an acquired psychiatric disability (including PTSD), and increased rating for guttate psoriasis are remanded. The claim for TDIU is also remanded due to its inextricability with the other issues.

The Board has granted service connection for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and ischemic heart disease. The issues of secondary service connection for anosmia, ageusia, peripheral neuropathy, cognitive disorder, and acquired psychiatric disorders are remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for headaches, an acquired psychiatric disorder, hypertension, and erectile dysfunction due to inadequate development in prior examinations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records and need for a new VA medical opinion.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to incomplete records and missed VA examinations. The appeals are related to service connection, TDIU, and a rating for respiratory bronchiolitis.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied, but new and material evidence was received to reopen the claim of a psychiatric disability. Service connection is granted for this condition.