Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the cause of death and its relation to service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's petition to reopen his claim for service connection for PTSD is granted. The Board has also remanded the issues of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, bilateral athlete's foot, and a left foot plantar wart due to outstanding evidence and need for further examination.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development to obtain VA medical opinions and to review additional pertinent evidence, including VA treatment records from January 2017 to May 2021.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary for the claims of service connection for various disorders, including foot fungus, nose disorder, back disorder, asthma, psychiatric disorder, sleep apnea, and hearing loss. The appeals are being remanded to obtain clarification on private treatment records and to schedule VA examinations.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, should be remanded due to inadequate VA examination and incomplete medical records. The Veteran is also asked to provide additional private treatment records.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition, including PTSD, was denied as there is no evidence of a nexus between the condition and his active-duty service.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss was previously denied in May 2007. The reopened claim remains denied due to lack of evidence linking the Veteran's current hearing loss to his military service.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for poor vision (claimed as partial blindness in both eyes) was reopened but remains denied because there is no evidence showing a nexus between the condition and his active-duty service or another service-connected disability.,Service connection for renal failure was previously denied. The reopened claim remains denied due to lack of evidence linking the Veteran's current renal failure to his military service, including toxic exposure at Camp Lejeune.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus was previously denied. The reopened claim remains denied as there is no evidence showing a nexus between the condition and his active-duty service or another service-connected disability.

The Board denied an increased rating for the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, finding that his symptoms did not warrant a higher rating.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a left knee disability and back disability have been reopened, and the Board has found that these conditions are related to his military service. The claim for TDIU is also remanded.,The VA will provide an opinion regarding whether the Veteran's back disability was caused by or aggravated by his service-connected bilateral knee disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for compensation benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 are remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining missing records and medical opinions.

The Board has remanded several issues for further development and consideration. The Veteran's left shoulder condition requires a new examination to assess the severity of his flare-ups. His cervical spine condition must be evaluated in relation to his service-connected left shoulder condition. An addendum opinion is needed regarding the acquired psychiatric disorder, as well as an assessment of polyuria and hypertension.,The Board has remanded this issue for further development. The Veteran's cervical spine condition needs a new examination that addresses whether it is secondary to his service-connected left shoulder impingement syndrome. A new opinion on the acquired psychiatric disorder must be provided, considering the Veteran's contentions about insomnia, adjustment disorder, and depression.,The Board has remanded this issue for further development. The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder needs a new examination that addresses whether it is related to his service. An addendum opinion should be provided regarding polyuria and hypertension.,The Board has remanded this issue for further development. The Veteran's kidney condition, claimed as kidney cancer, requires an addendum opinion addressing the relationship between his in-service stone removal and current issues. A new examination is needed for renal insufficiency and hypertension.,The Board has remanded this issue for further development. An addendum opinion should be provided regarding polyuria and hypertension.,The Board has remanded this issue for further development. The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder needs a new examination that addresses whether it occurred in service or is related to his service-connected conditions. A new opinion on polyuria and hypertension must also be provided.,The Board has remanded this issue for further development. An addendum opinion should be provided regarding the relationship between the Veteran's headaches and his service-connected shoulder condition, as well as whether it is caused by or aggravated by any other service-connected conditions.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further development and examination. The Veteran's claims of service connection for a psychiatric disorder and hearing loss are being reviewed.

The appeal to restore service connection for radiculopathy of the left lower extremity is granted. The restoration of a 10% disability rating for the low back disability with radiculopathy of the right lower extremity as of December 1, 2015, is also granted. Other issues are remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and a seizure disorder due to further development being required. The issues are inextricably intertwined as the diagnosis of psychogenic non-epileptic seizures is linked to psychological disorders.

The Board has granted an earlier effective date of March 31, 2014 for the Veteran's service-connected acquired psychiatric disability (including PTSD). The decision finds that the claim was filed on March 31, 1975 and adjudicated in September 1975. New service department records associated with the claims file during the July 2002 adjudication of the Veteran's claim show the Veteran's in-service symptomatology and chart his decline in performance around 1973, consistent with the onset of an acquired psychiatric disability (including PTSD).

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, which includes anxiety disorder and unspecified trauma-and stressor-related disorder. The decision is based on evidence showing that these conditions are related to in-service experiences, particularly his deployment to Kuwait during the Gulf War.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, CFS, dysphagia, GERD, headaches, a heart condition, high blood pressure, muscle and joint pain, and neurological problems. The case is remanded for further action on the left ankle disability.,Service connection was not granted for skin issues as they were considered undiagnosed Gulf War symptoms.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient information and a need for an examination. The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is being returned for further development.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD due to MST, was denied as he failed to report for a necessary VA examination.

The Veteran's appeal is dismissed as the issue of whether new and relevant evidence has been received to reopen a claim seeking service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder was not timely filed, and good cause has not been shown.

The Veteran's chronic sinusitis, bilateral tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss are granted service connection. The claim for an acquired psychiatric condition is remanded due to insufficient evidence.