Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2024

The Veteran's rating for an acquired psychiatric disorder was denied, and service connection for a left knee disorder was also denied. The effective dates for TDIU and DEA were remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further examination and evaluation due to insufficient evidence in some areas, particularly regarding the Veteran's cervical condition. The mood disorder case is also being remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including unspecified trauma disorder and unspecified schizophrenia and other psychotic disorder, is remanded due to a lack of adequate medical opinion regarding the etiology of his condition.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating was a new claim, and the July 2022 decision was the initial decision on that claim. The appellant is not eligible to attorney fees based on past-due benefits awarded in the July 2022 rating decision.

The Board has determined that the claims for service connection for COPD, a heart condition, sleep apnea, and an acquired psychiatric disorder must be remanded due to inadequate VA examinations and medical opinions. The Veteran's toxic exposure risk activity is presumed under the PACT Act.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings due to errors in the decision-making process, including failing to consider certain evidence and providing inadequate examinations. The case will be reviewed again with a focus on verifying the Veteran's reported stressor and obtaining an updated VA examination.

The Veteran's service-connected foot and back disabilities, along with a psychiatric condition, prevented him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation prior to May 30, 2023. The Board is remanding the case for consideration of TDIU on an extraschedular basis.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, OSA, and TDIU due to duty-to-assist errors. The AOJ must obtain all relevant VA and non-VA medical records, including those from Durham VA Medical Center and Southeast Texas Physicians Group. Additionally, a new opinion is needed regarding the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including depression, anxiety and PTSD, was denied. Service connection was granted for lumbar spine arthritis, cervical spine arthritis, right upper extremity cervical radiculopathy (secondary to cervical spine arthritis), right knee osteoarthritis, and left knee osteoarthritis and patellofemoral pain syndrome.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, finding that the Veteran's symptoms of depression are related to his military service and finds the private opinion persuasive.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination. The issues include lower back disability, bilateral sciatica, acquired psychiatric disorder (including depression and anxiety), and erectile dysfunction.

The Veteran's claim for hepatitis C is denied as the evidence does not support a service connection.,The Veteran's claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, is denied as there is no diagnosis of PTSD and the medical records do not indicate its onset in service or relate it to any injury or illness during active duty.,The Veteran's claim for cervical spinal stenosis is denied as there is no evidence showing a current condition related to his military service.,The Veteran's claim for kidney condition, to include hydronephrosis, is denied as the medical records do not indicate that it was caused by an event or illness during active duty and is not secondary to any service-connected disability.

The Veteran's right knee osteoarthritis is granted as service connected. The claims for acquired psychiatric disorder, left knee disability, hypertension, and erectile dysfunction are remanded due to exposure to toxins at Camp Lejeune.

The Veteran's right ear scar is not productive of characteristics of disfigurement, visible or palpable tissue loss, or gross distortion or asymmetry. The claim for a compensable rating for the right ear scar is denied.

The appeal is dismissed due to the appellant's death, and there has been no order granting substitution.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of PTSD was granted with an effective date of April 15, 2015. The prior denial of the claim was due to lack of evidence showing a clinically diagnosed condition of PTSD.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for psoriasis, left hip disability, right hip disability, lumbar spine disability, Graves' disease, and an acquired psychiatric disorder have been dismissed due to the Veteran withdrawing his appeal during a hearing.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder was granted in a June 2022 rating decision, but since the issue is now moot as the Veteran has already been granted the benefit sought, the appeal is dismissed.

The Board has decided to remand all issues on appeal due to the need for additional VA treatment records. The Veteran's claims for service connection are being returned for further review.

The appeal for an increased rating of the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is denied. The propriety of severance of service connection for neurocognitive disorder is dismissed.