Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2024

An effective date of October 16, 2013 is granted for a 100% disability rating for schizophrenia and basic eligibility to dependents educational assistance. The appeal for total disability based on individual unemployability due to service-connected schizophrenia is dismissed as moot.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, unspecified depressive disorder with anxious distress. Service connection was denied for tinnitus due to lack of current diagnosis.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that the Veteran did not have a verified in-service stressor and his symptoms do not meet the criteria for PTSD. The VA examiner concluded that his current mental health condition is related to alcohol use disorder.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for an acquired psychiatric condition has been granted, and they are now receiving the maximum disability evaluation of 100 percent. The effective date remains unchanged at November 30, 2011.

The Board has remanded the claims for clarification regarding the timing of a reported scud missile attack and to obtain further evidence on the relationship between sleep apnea, PTSD, and other conditions.

The Board has granted an effective date of April 2, 2001 for the grant of service connection for a right knee disorder and February 18, 1971 for the acquired psychiatric disorder. These decisions are based on evidence showing the Veteran had these conditions during his military service.

The claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been denied. The claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is remanded due to pre-decisional errors in verifying the stressor and obtaining treatment records.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, was denied due to lack of a verified in-service stressor and no medical evidence linking the current condition to service.,Service connection for bilateral foot hammertoes was denied as there is no evidence showing that the condition preexisted service or was aggravated by it during service.

The Veteran's GERD and acquired psychiatric disorder are granted, with the rating for the psychiatric disorder set at 70 percent effective November 6, 2019.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral eye disability, bilateral hearing loss, type II diabetes mellitus (insulin dependence), bilateral kidney condition, erectile dysfunction, peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, and acquired psychiatric disability were all denied as there is no persuasive evidence of a current disability during or shortly before the pendency of the claim.,The Veteran's claims for service connection are based on his exposure to hazardous noise in military service. However, the VA examiner found that the Veteran does not have a current hearing loss disability and noted that there was no significant shift in hearing thresholds beyond test variability from the Veteran's entrance to separation.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been received to readjudicate the claims for service connection for tinnitus and an acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD).,However, the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder remains remanded due to a lack of adequate VA examination prior to the May 2019 rating decision.

The Veteran's psychiatric disability is rated at 30 percent, which is the maximum rating available under Code 9410. The appeal for a higher initial rating was denied.

The Veteran's service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder (anxiety disorder) is rated at a 70 percent disability rating as of July 20, 2020. The effective date for this increased rating is also July 20, 2020.

The Board has denied the claims for service connection for left shoulder degenerative arthritis, right shoulder degenerative arthritis, left foot degenerative arthritis, and right foot degenerative arthritis. The Board found that there is no evidence to support a causal relationship between these conditions and the Appellant's military service.

The claims of service connection for left hip fracture, left femur shaft fracture, left tibial plateau fracture, and left elbow fracture are dismissed as the Veteran did not properly initiate an appeal.,The claim of service connection for brain disease due to trauma (postconcussion syndrome with tinnitus, headaches, and history of ear injury) is dismissed because it was related to willful misconduct.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and Other Specified Trauma and Stressor Disorder, is related to military sexual trauma during active service. As a result, the claim for service connection is granted.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, a respiratory disorder (claimed as asthma and COPD), and Parkinson's disease. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is remanded.

The Board has denied service connection for a left foot disorder other than pes planus and an acquired mental disorder. The case is being remanded to obtain clarification on the nexus between these conditions and the Veteran's qualifying period of active duty service.

The Veteran's schizophrenia is rated at 100% since June 13, 2019. An earlier effective date of February 11, 2009 for basic eligibility to Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits is granted.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating greater than 70 percent for his service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder prior to March 15, 2021 is denied. The effective date for the grant of service connection remains September 18, 2012.