Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2024

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a lack of clarity in the December 2022 VA opinion regarding whether service aggravated a pre-existing psychiatric disorder. The Veteran's claim for service connection is now pending and will be reviewed again by the RO.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further research into the Veteran's claimed stressor of a motor vehicle accident during active duty service. The decision is not definitive and does not establish VA policies or interpretations of general applicability.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, neurological disorder, and right arm disorder due to the lack of evidence linking these conditions to service. The Veteran's claims were based on his reported in-service stressors and exposure to toxic chemicals, but there was no competent medical evidence connecting any current disabilities to his military service.

The Board found that the Veteran's remaining service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation, leading to the denial of his appeal for restoration of TDIU.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is granted a 70 percent rating prior to March 7, 2020, but denied any higher rating beginning from that date.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly address the Veteran's claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder, specifically PTSD. The decision is remanded due to pre-decisional errors and the need for further examination.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for schizophrenia, which was initially denied in 1990 and reopened due to new evidence submitted in 1998, has been granted with an effective date of June 2, 1998.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, previously claimed as depression, is granted service connection. Service connection for tinnitus and PTSD are denied due to lack of evidence meeting the criteria for these conditions. The lower back disability claim is also denied.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric condition, including PTSD and panic disorder, is granted effective from May 30, 1968.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for schizophrenia and PTSD, finding that his conditions were aggravated by military service. The claim for PTSD was denied due to lack of a current diagnosis.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating of 70 percent for his psychiatric disorder has been granted. The Board also remanded the issue of entitlement to total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU).

The Veteran's disability rating for PTSD was reduced from 70 percent to 50 percent effective December 1, 2018. The reduction is now void ab initio and the 70 percent rating has been restored.

The Board has granted service connection for a psychiatric disability and obstructive sleep apnea, but denied service connection for colon cancer. The case is remanded to obtain a VA examination regarding the Veteran's diabetes.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss. Service connection is denied for psychiatric disability, sleep apnea, high blood pressure, left shoulder, right shoulder, left knee, and right knee.,Service connection was not established for a psychiatric disability, sleep apnea, or high blood pressure due to lack of evidence of such conditions during the pendency of the claim. Service connection is granted for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as secondary to service-connected bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for various conditions have been dismissed. The Board found no evidence of these conditions in service or within one year post-service, and the Veteran did not provide sufficient medical evidence to establish a link between his current disabilities and service.,The Veteran was also denied an increased rating for duodenitis with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), as there is no evidence showing severe symptoms that would warrant a higher rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension is not secondary to a service-connected disability and is not otherwise related to an in-service event, injury, or disease.,The evidence is at least in approximate balance that the Veteran's tinnitus began during active service. The Board has therefore granted service connection for tinnitus.,The claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability (including PTSD, depression, and anxiety) remains remanded due to a duty-to-assist error.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable disability rating for bilateral dry eye condition was denied as the evidence did not show any impairment of visual acuity or other visual impairment.,The appeal to reduce the acquired psychiatric disorder rating from 50% to 30% was dismissed due to it being premature.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is rated at 70 percent, and the Board has determined that this rating is appropriate based on his symptoms not meeting the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is rated at 70 percent, which is the maximum schedular rating available.,The Veteran's migraine condition is rated at 50 percent, which is the maximum schedular rating available.

The Veteran's tinnitus was not shown as chronic in service and did not manifest to a compensable degree within the applicable presumptive period; continuity of symptomatology is not established; and the disability is not otherwise etiologically related to an in-service injury or disease.,The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability is not etiologically related to active service.,The Board concludes that, while the Veteran may experience symptoms of anxiety or depression, the evidence of record persuasively weighs against finding that any acquired psychiatric disorder began during service or is otherwise related to an in-service injury, event, or disease. The claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability is therefore denied.,The Board concludes that the claims must be remanded to correct pre-decisional duty to assist errors. Review of the claims file does not confirm that the Veteran was stationed in the Southwest Asia theater of operations during the Persian Gulf War. In this regard, the Board believes that additional efforts to determine whether the Veteran had active duty service in the Southwest Asia theater of operations during the Persian Gulf War are needed.,The Veteran seeks service connection for hypertension, CFS, fibromyalgia, and migraines, which he argues are due to toxic exposure risk activities (TERA). While the Veteran has consistently argued that he participated in TERA, this has not been verified by the RO. The Board finds it necessary to remand the Veteran's claims so that his potential TERA can be verified by the RO.,The Veteran seeks service connection for low back pain with intervertebral disc syndrome. He reports that he injured his back during a patrol in 2005 and contends that his current back disability is related to this injury. Remand is necessary to obtain the Veteran's complete military personnel records to ascertain whether his 2005 back injury happened during a period of ADT or IDT.,The Veteran seeks service connection for hypertension, CFS, fibromyalgia, and migraines. He contends that his disabilities are related to toxic exposures during service in Operation Enduring Freedom. The Veteran's October 2002 DD-214 confirms that the Veteran served in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.