Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2023

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, including schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder, is related to his active service. The benefit of doubt has been resolved in favor of the Veteran.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for right arm and psychiatric disabilities due to a lack of compliance with previous remand instructions regarding examinations.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his psychiatric disorder and heart disease, prevent him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment. The Board finds that the evidence supports a finding of TDIU.

The Veteran's schizophrenia, paranoid type, qualifies for payment or reimbursement of unauthorized non-VA medical care incurred on January 11, 2016 at Missouri Baptist Hospital due to the severity and urgency of his back pain.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for various disabilities, including PTSD and depressive disorder, has been reopened. The Board finds that new evidence supports reopening the claim but remands the case to obtain additional records and provide medical opinions on the issues of service connection.

Service connection is granted for tinnitus and hypertension. Service connection is denied for an acquired psychiatric disorder.,The Veteran's tinnitus had its onset during service, as evidenced by his military records and testimony. His hypertension also began during service, supported by medical records showing treatment for high blood pressure.

The Veteran is granted a disability rating of 70 percent for an acquired psychiatric disorder from February 12, 2016 to February 1, 2019. A higher rating or one in excess of 70 percent is denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and a bilateral foot disability due to lack of substantial compliance with prior remand directives. The AOJ is required to obtain addendum opinions addressing whether the Veteran's conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for the issuance of a Statement of the Case (SOC) on issues including rating in excess of 70 percent prior to December 1, 2018 and in excess of 50 percent from December 1, 2018 to December 4, 2019 for psychiatric disability; TDIU; and SMC.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder and obstructive sleep apnea are granted service connection, and he is awarded a TDIU for the period beginning on February 14, 2020.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for bilateral eye and shoulder disabilities have been withdrawn, resulting in their dismissal. The Board has also remanded the issues of service connection for lumbar back disability, bilateral knee disability, and acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus. Bilateral hearing loss and an acquired psychiatric disorder are remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board has ordered a remand due to the need for additional VA examination and addendum opinions regarding the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD. The remand aims to address discrepancies in diagnoses between VA treatment records and previous examinations.

The Board has determined that additional relevant service medical and personnel records have been received, necessitating the reconsideration of multiple claims for various disabilities.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include paranoid schizophrenia and PTSD. The case is remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's in-service stressors and a need for further examination.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder other than depression, including posttraumatic stress disorder. The Board dismissed the appeal due to withdrawal.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and TDIU has been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeal in November 2022.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including major depressive disorder and PTSD, is granted as service connected. The issue of PTSD is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's left and right foot disabilities have been granted service connection with effective dates of June 27, 2013. Effective date for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus has not been granted.

Service connection is granted for Parkinson's disease and Parkinson's disease dementia on a presumptive basis due to herbicide exposure during service in Thailand.,Service connection is also granted for an adjustment disorder with depressed mood/depressive disorder, as secondary to the service-connected Parkinson's disease.