Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2024

The Veteran's claim for PTSD is granted. The claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD and a peripheral vestibular disorder are remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for residuals of gallbladder removal and a psychiatric disorder due to incomplete records. The decision on bilateral hearing loss remains denied.

The Board has granted service connection for fatty liver disease but has remanded the issues of service connection for unspecified schizophrenia and other psychotic disorder (claimed as phobias) and a compensable disability rating for hypertension. The Veteran's fatty liver disease is found to be secondary to her service-connected total abdominal hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy with surgical induced early onset of menopause. Service connection for the psychotic disorder remains in dispute, requiring further examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to a lack of VA examinations and insufficient evidence regarding the onset and etiology of his claimed disabilities.

The Veteran's schizophrenia is granted a 100 percent rating effective from May 22, 1979. The issue of individual unemployability based on the service-connected disability is dismissed as moot.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, a traumatic brain injury (TBI) disability, and a migraine headache disability due to lack of evidence of current disabilities at any time during or recent to the filing of the claims.

The Board has remanded the claims of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and for an eye disability due to potential errors in obtaining relevant medical records.,Specifically, the Veteran's VA treatment records do not indicate that audiometric testing was performed, which is necessary to determine if a hearing loss disability exists. Additionally, no opinion regarding the relationship between any current eye disability and service participation in a toxic exposure risk activity (TERA) has been provided.

The Board has denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability and a digestive disability, finding no evidence to support the Veteran's claims. The issue of readjudication of COPD and obstructive sleep apnea is remanded.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, entitlement to a TDIU award, and special monthly compensation (SMC) based on need for aid and attendance. The Veteran also withdrew his appeal for service connection for erectile dysfunction and special monthly compensation (SMC) based on loss of use.

The Board has remanded both claims of service connection for erectile dysfunction and acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as PTSD) due to inadequate VA medical opinions. The Veteran's claim for erectile dysfunction is being remanded because the AOJ failed to consider all pertinent symptomatology, including depressive and anxiety-based symptoms, in determining whether there was a nexus between his current disability and military service. For the psychiatric disorder claim, the Board found that the AOJ committed duty-to-assist errors by primarily focusing on PTSD at the expense of other diagnoses.

The Board has remanded both issues for further review. The first issue is about service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, and the second is about whether the appellant's discharge from service was a bar to VA benefits.

The Board has denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, a sleep disorder, and a headache disorder as there is no evidence of current diagnoses or a link to service.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to August 28, 2019, for the grant of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is denied as there is no legal entitlement to such a date.

The Board has dismissed the appeal due to a withdrawal request from the appellant and his authorized representative.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a back epidermal inclusion cyst, allergic rhinitis, and psychiatric disability (depression, stress, anxiety, and homicidal ideation) have been denied as there is no evidence of an in-service injury or disease that could be linked to these conditions.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for COPD and PTSD, as well as his acquired psychiatric disorder claim due to a duty-to-assist error in the March 2021 VA examination. The Veteran needs an adequate VA examination and opinion regarding the etiology of his COPD and his acquired psychiatric disorders.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, a bone fracture in the left leg, and obstructive sleep apnea have been dismissed due to improper filing of appeals.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is not considered a current disability under VA criteria.,There is no credible evidence of an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, related to service. The Veteran did not identify any in-service stressors or events.

The Veteran's appeal for a rating in excess of 30 percent for his acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, unspecified depressive disorder, and TBI residuals was denied. The evidence did not support a higher rating under the applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board has granted a 100% disability rating for an acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD, schizophrenia, and major depressive disorder) effective July 29, 2019. The decision is mixed as some conditions were granted while others were not.