Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2023

The Board has granted readjudication of the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder based on new and relevant evidence. The claim is denied as there is no evidence that the disability is related to service.

The Board dismissed the appeals for service connection of a psychiatric condition and increased disability ratings for knee Reiter's syndrome with degenerative arthritis, as well as denied a compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran's appeal was also remanded for an initial TDIU rating.

The Veteran's service connection claims for a stomach/intestinal disability, alcoholism, and dental disability for compensation purposes have all been denied.,Service connection was granted for colonic redundancy but the Veteran does not have any other current gastrointestinal condition.

The Veteran's claim for a total rating based on individual unemployability prior to April 19, 2023 is being remanded due to insufficient evidence of unemployability.

The Board has decided that an effective date prior to September 28, 2015, for the award of a 20 percent rating for low back strain is denied. The issue of entitlement to a higher rating for the acquired psychiatric disorder remains pending and requires further examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to procedural issues, including the need for an SOC and proper docketing under the legacy review system.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for headaches has been granted. The issue of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include major depressive disorder with anxious distress (claimed as PTSD, MST) is remanded.,New and material evidence has been received to reopen the claims for both conditions.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder and remanded both the original claim and the OSA claim. The Veteran's claims are being remanded due to inadequate VA examination opinions and need for additional treatment records.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD and an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, finding that the Veteran's statements regarding in-service stressors were not credible and his psychiatric disorder did not manifest during service or be otherwise etiologically related to his active service.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as unspecified anxiety disorder, is at least as likely as not related to his active duty service. Service connection for this condition has been granted.

The Veteran was granted service connection for hepatitis C and an acquired psychiatric disorder in September 2018. The March 2019 rating decision assigned initial ratings of 40 percent for hepatitis C and 100 percent for the acquired psychiatric disorder, effective dates being August 7, 2012, and December 27, 2013 respectively. Attorney fees are granted based on past-due benefits from September 15, 2018 to March 14, 2019.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been received to warrant readjudication of the Veteran's service connection claims for a low back disability and an acquired psychiatric disorder. The case is being remanded for further development.

The Board has dismissed the appeal of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, as the Veteran's August 2019 VA Form 10182 was not a valid Notice of Disagreement under the Appeals Modernization Act system.

The Veteran's asthma, which was service-connected on December 18, 2006, is now rated at 60 percent from that date. The decision also denied the claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to incarceration.

The Board has dismissed the claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition to include PTSD, initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for coronary artery disease, and individual unemployability due to the death of the appellant during the appeal process.

The Board has denied service connection for hepatitis C, thoracolumbar spine disorder, left and right lower extremity sciatica, and a psychiatric disorder. The case is being remanded to obtain a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's current psychiatric condition is related to his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, due to a discharge under other than honorable conditions during his U.S. Army Reserve service.

The Board has remanded the claims for cervical spine disability, lumbar spine disability, acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and depression), and obstructive sleep apnea due to additional development being necessary.

The Veteran wishes to withdraw his appeal for bilateral hearing loss. The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for acquired psychiatric disorder and memory loss due to insufficient medical opinions.