Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination. The Veteran's current diagnoses include borderline personality disorder, which may also include an adjustment disorder.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability other than PTSD and schizoaffective disorder, finding that there is no evidence of a current diagnosis related to his military service. The Board also found that the Veteran's bilateral foot or ankle disability claim was remanded due to additional development being required.

The Veteran's appeal to reopen her service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder as secondary to her service-connected lumbar spine and/or migraine headache disabilities has been dismissed.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, and the Board has dismissed the case.

The Veteran's appeal is being REMANDED to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of his thoracic spine disability, bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, left eye scar, right orbital fracture, sleep disorder, and acquired psychiatric disorder. The Veteran will not receive a rating for an increased rating in excess of 10 percent for his Lisfranc injury of the right foot.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, specifically PTSD, is rated at 50 percent prior to December 5, 2016. The Board found that the symptoms were consistent with a 50 percent rating due to mild impairment in social and occupational functioning.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD has prevented him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board grants a TDIU.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his acquired psychiatric disorder, ulcerative colitis with anemia, sleep apnea, and lumbar spine disabilities, prevent him from securing and maintaining a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has granted the Veteran's TDIU claim.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability is granted as service connection, with the condition having its onset during active duty and continuing to present.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is related to service.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for her service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder has been withdrawn by her representative.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and consideration. The Veteran's tinnitus is granted service connection, but his left foot disability, back disability, right foot disability, arthritis (claimed as bone fractures), and acquired psychiatric disability are not yet determined due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability was denied as there is no evidence of a current disability. The appeal to reopen the cervical spine disability claim was also denied due to lack of new and material evidence.,Service connection for sleep apnea remains pending, with the need for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection on all issues except eye problems, tinnitus, and stomach problems (undiagnosed or medically unexplained chronic multi-symptom Gulf War illness) has been dismissed. The claim of service connection for left wrist disability, right wrist disability, left ankle disability, right ankle disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, back disability, and psychiatric disability (including PTSD) is remanded.

The Veteran was found unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment due to service-connected disabilities from April 17, 2017, to August 25, 2019.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeal for the claims of a rating in excess of 20 percent for degenerative thoracolumbar spine, a 10 percent for degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine, a 10 percent for right shoulder anterior cruciate degenerative joint disease, and a 10 percent for a sinus condition. The appeal is also dismissed for service connection claims including bilateral hearing loss, diabetes mellitus, right hip arthralgia, peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity and left lower extremity, obstructive sleep apnea, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as adjustment disorder and PTSD).

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been received sufficient to readjudicate the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD. The case is remanded due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and a heart disability have been dismissed due to the Veteran withdrawing his claims in October 2021.

Service connection for tinnitus is granted. Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and residuals of a TBI are remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that there is no nexus between his current psychiatric disorders and his military service.