Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2023

The Board has granted service connection for a back disability (degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine) and an acquired psychiatric disorder (paranoid schizophrenia), finding that these conditions permanently worsened beyond their natural progression during periods of active duty training.

The Board has granted service connection for low back disability, cervical spine disability, right hip disability, left hip disability, and acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD.,Secondary service connection is also granted for the cervical spine disability and right hip disability to the low back disability, as well as for the left hip disability. The acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD was not addressed in this decision.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, right hip disorder, low back disorder, and acquired psychiatric disorder. The decision found that there was no medical link between these conditions and military service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for IBS, acquired psychiatric disorder including PTSD and depression, left hip disability, and right hip disability due to new evidence received since the last rating decision. The Veteran's appeal is not about service connection at all.

The Board has found errors in the previous decision and is remanding the claims for a low back disability due to inadequate opinion based on an inaccurate factual premise.

The Veteran's service connection claims for residuals of double hernia and an acquired psychiatric disorder (diagnosed as panic disorder) have been granted.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and primary insomnia, is granted as service-connected. The low back disability and left knee disability are remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA medical opinion related to the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and unspecified trauma and stressor-related disorder. The claim will be reconsidered with a new opinion.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD, anxiety, and insomnia), headaches, traumatic brain injury, obstructive sleep apnea, knee disorders, foot disorders, ankle disorders, elbow disorders, shoulder disorders, hip disorders, hand disorders, wrist disorders, lumbar spine disorders, shin disorders, cold injury disorders, upper extremity cold injury disorders. The Board found that the Veteran did not have a diagnosis for these conditions during service or within one year of discharge and thus could not establish service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have current diagnoses of any claimed foot, hip, knee, or lower back conditions. The claims for these conditions are therefore denied.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, including depression, is related to his service and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeal of the December 2018 SOC is reinstated, and his claims for service connection are decided on their merits.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability is granted service connection. The left shoulder disability and psychiatric disorder are denied service connection.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a failure to obtain a VA examination for the Veteran's service connection claim, and they have ordered an examination with an appropriate clinician to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection were dismissed as the VA Form 10182 was not timely filed.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hemorrhoids has been denied as no new and relevant evidence was received.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a neck disability has been denied as no new and relevant evidence was received.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD, persistent depressive disorder, and anxiety disorder) has been granted based on the submission of new and relevant evidence.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a sleeping disorder (diagnosed as sleep apnea) has been granted based on the submission of new and relevant evidence.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to inadequate examinations and incomplete evidence. The Veteran's left knee, shoulder, psychiatric disorder (PTSD), and essential tremors are all being reviewed.

The Board has remanded the case due to a duty to assist error and insufficient medical opinions regarding service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including posttraumatic stress disorder.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, should be remanded due to a failure to obtain a VA examination and provide reasonable efforts to obtain relevant treatment records.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depression, as well as a claim for secondary service connection to his bilateral hearing loss disability. The evidence did not establish current diagnoses of any psychiatric disorders.