Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2023

The Board has determined that a remand is warranted due to the Veteran's failure to appear for scheduled VA examinations and his request for new examinations. Additionally, a new nexus opinion is required regarding the nature and etiology of the claimed psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's son, A.G., is recognized as a dependent child due to permanent incapacity for self-support prior to reaching the age of 18, based on his psychiatric disabilities.

The Board has denied service connection for various conditions, including right foot cold weather injury, left foot cold weather injury, right hand cold weather injury, left hand cold weather injury, bilateral pes planus, bilateral plantar fasciitis, acquired psychiatric disorder, headache disorder, and low back disorder. The evidence does not support a finding that any of these conditions were incurred or aggravated by service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence, and further investigation is needed.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain, allergic rhinitis, right hip strain, and left hip disability manifested by pain are granted service connection.,The Veteran's pneumothorax is granted on an aggravation basis from a pre-existing condition during service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, a back disability, lower extremity radiculopathy, and OSA are remanded due to insufficient evidence. The claims will be reviewed again with additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's IBS is granted service connection, while his acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD) remains under review and remanded.

The Board has remanded three issues: service connection for a bilateral eye condition, service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, and special monthly pension based on the need for regular aid and attendance. The remand is due to inadequate opinions regarding the preexistence of the Veteran's bilateral eye condition.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, but the issues regarding transient ischemic attacks and retinopathy as secondary to hypertensive vascular disease are remanded.

The Board has granted new and material evidence to reopen the claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder. The claims for service connection for a back disability and headaches have been denied.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, finding that the Veteran's claims regarding his service were not credible and there was no evidence linking any current condition to his military service.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD, but granted service connection for schizophrenia. The Veteran's schizophrenia was found to have clearly and unmistakably existed prior to service.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, needs further development and is therefore remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral pes planus, an acquired psychiatric disorder, poor body alignment, left knee pain, a back disorder (claimed as back pain), and a right knee disorder (claimed as right knee pain) has been granted. The effective date for the award of service connection for bilateral pes planus is July 16, 2012.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been denied as there is no current diagnosis of a disability that meets the criteria for a hearing loss disability in accordance with VA standards.,The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus has also been denied, as his tinnitus already receives the maximum schedular rating available under VA regulations.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and acquired psychiatric disorder claims are denied as there is no evidence of a current disability meeting VA criteria.,For the right and left upper extremity nerve conditions, additional development is needed to determine their etiology.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than January 12, 2015 for the grant of service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been denied.,The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 30 percent for service-connected hypertensive heart disease has been denied.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, claimed as anxiety and depression, has been denied.

The Veteran's service-connected acquired psychiatric disability alone precludes her from securing or maintaining substantially gainful employment, and the Board has granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted a 20% rating from March 23, 2023. The Board finds reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran's hypertension warranting this increased rating.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and depressive disorder) is granted.