Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2024

The Board granted service connection for a heart condition, hypertension, bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, and an acquired psychiatric disorder as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected prostate cancer. The claim for a compensable disability rating for erectile dysfunction was withdrawn by the Veteran, and the discontinuance of the 100 percent rating for residuals of prostate cancer was deemed proper.

The Board dismissed the appeal for service connection for an acquired mental disorder and a skin disorder, denied service connection for right and left knee disorders, and granted TDIU.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune, including multiple sclerosis, a recurrent skin disorder, and an acquired psychiatric disorder. The case is being returned for additional medical opinions addressing the relationship between these conditions and active service.

The Board granted service connection for a psychiatric disorder (depression) and remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus for further development.

The Board remands the Veteran's claims for service connection and TDIU back to the RO for further development, including obtaining specialized records requests with a special issue indicator.

The veteran withdrew his appeal for all issues on appeal, and the Board has no jurisdiction to review the appeal.

The Board remands the appeal for further development and readjudication consistent with the Court's decision, which found VA failed in its duty to assist the Veteran regarding his PTSD claim and misapplied the law regarding an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD.

The appeal is dismissed due to the death of the Appellant during the pendency of the appeal.

The Veteran requested withdrawal of the appeal regarding their claim for service connection for schizophrenia, and the Board has dismissed this issue.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for schizophrenia, cocaine use disorder, alcohol use disorder, and unspecified neurocognitive disorder was granted with an effective date of March 18, 2021. The rating assigned is 100 percent.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a failure to provide an adequate statement of reasons or bases for dismissing the service connection claim for anxiety, depression, and/or insomnia. The Veteran's attorney and VA's Office of General Counsel (OGC) agreed that the Board failed to address whether the Veteran was entitled to service connection for a psychiatric disability on a direct basis.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for insomnia and an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that there is no evidence to support a link between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability secondary to the Veteran's service-connected lipomatosis with associated surgical scars. The claim for bilateral hearing loss was denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for fibromyalgia, psychiatric disability other than unspecified anxiety disorder with unspecified neurocognitive disorder, and urination disability were denied. The claim for an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for migraine headaches was also denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and bipolar I disorder, has been granted. The Board found new evidence relevant to the issue since a previous final rating decision in October 2014. Service connection is established based on the Veteran's consistent reports of events during service and his long history of mental health symptoms.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a shoulder disorder, neck disorder, hearing loss, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to lack of evidence showing in-service events or injuries.

The Board has dismissed the claims for service connection for a right index finger disability, low back condition, and neck condition as there is no case or controversy remaining. The claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder is remanded.

The Veteran withdrew their appeal, and the case is dismissed.

The Veteran's service connection for asthma has been granted. The appeal for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as PTSD) and migraine headache is remanded.

The Veteran's psychiatric disability was rated at 50% for more than five years, and the VA Regional Office reduced it to 30%. The Board found that there was no material improvement and that it could not be stated with certainty that the reduction would be maintained. Therefore, the rating of 50% is restored.