Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for back, left knee, left ankle, and right ankle disabilities, as well as his acquired psychiatric disorder. The reasons include needing to address unresolved medical questions regarding alcohol consumption and its impact on the Veteran's disability picture.

The Veteran's petition to reopen his previously denied claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (previously denied as depression/mental condition) is granted. The Board also remanded the issue of entitlement to service connection for PTSD.

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to fully adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection for TBI and an acquired psychiatric disorder. The RO will review this new evidence and provide a supplemental statement of the case if necessary.

The Veteran's claims are being remanded for a new examination with a neurologist to evaluate his TBI, psychiatric, and migraine disability symptoms. The earlier effective date and increased rating claims are also being remanded as they are inextricably intertwined with the TBI claim.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension as aggravated by a service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that the evidence is in equipoise and resolving all doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's claims for right wrist disability, scar (claimed as stab wound), right fifth finger disability, bilateral eye disability, and acquired psychiatric disorder are all being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of evidence. The claim for a 10 percent evaluation based upon multiple noncompensable service-connected disabilities prior to April 23, 2021 is inextricably intertwined with these other claims.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to an inadequate VA medical opinion regarding the Veteran's acquired psychiatric condition and its relationship to his service-connected back and knee disabilities. The case will be returned for further examination and opinion.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased disability ratings for an acquired psychiatric disorder and migraines, as well as his claim for a total disability rating due to individual unemployability (TDIU). These matters are inextricably intertwined with each other.

The Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected condition, and the claim for DIC under 38 U.S.C. § 1318 is denied as there is no evidence of continuous total disability rating for ten years prior to death.

Your appeal for TDIU based on your service-connected psychiatric disorder has been dismissed as the benefit you sought is already granted and compensation maximized.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied.,The application to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), was granted.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including bilateral hip and foot disabilities, psychiatric conditions, sleep disorders, hearing loss, vertigo, vision loss, hyperlipidemia, GERD, skin rashes, hand circulatory condition, diabetes mellitus, and erectile dysfunction. The remand requires additional examinations and opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for chronic blood disorder in urine, penile dysfunction, hypertension, gastrointestinal disorder (previously claimed as irritable bowel dysfunction), acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as PTSD), and sleeping disorder are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for a TBI and acquired psychiatric disability, other than PTSD due to insufficient rationale in the May 2021 VA medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's TBI and TBI residuals. The claims are also associated with service connection.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and examination to determine if the Veteran's psychiatric disorders are related to his service, including any early manifestations of schizophrenia during service.

The Veteran was granted a 70 percent disability rating for his major depressive disorder from June 1, 2017, to September 19, 2017.,He also received a temporary total (100 percent) disability rating due to in-patient hospitalization for his psychiatric condition from September 19, 2018, to October 31, 2018.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired mental disorder was granted with an effective date of August 8, 2008. No earlier effective dates are warranted.

Your appeal for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder has been dismissed because you opted into the modernized appeals system.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for agoraphobia and an acquired psychiatric condition, including panic disorder and anxiety disorder due to a lack of a VA examination addressing her lay statements about in-service symptoms.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for nausea, an acquired psychiatric disorder (likely Schizoaffective Disorder), and short term memory loss have been denied as there is no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and his military service.