Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2024

The Board has decided to remand the service connection claims for migraine headaches, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD, anxiety, and depression), and bipolar disorder due to incomplete and inadequate VA examinations. The Veteran's lay statements are also considered in these decisions.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including anxiety, back disability, neck disability, right knee disability, left knee disability, head injury, and right ear hearing loss. The effective date of the decisions was January 12, 2022.

The Board has denied service connection for GERD, an acquired psychiatric disability, left shoulder disability, right knee disability, and back disability as the evidence does not support a finding of in-service incurrence or aggravation.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder, is granted service connection.,The Veteran's sleep apnea, secondary to his service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder, is granted on a causation basis.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, other than major depressive disorder with anxious distress, and for a higher rating for his service-connected major depressive disorder. The effective date of the award of service connection was also denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, other than major depressive disorder with anxious distress, is denied. The claim for a higher rating for major depressive disorder with anxiety distress, recurrent, moderate, and the request for an earlier effective date are also denied.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, other than major depressive disorder with anxious distress, recurrent, moderate, and denied increased ratings and earlier effective dates for the Veteran's service-connected major depressive disorder with anxious distress, recurrent, moderate.

The Board has remanded the issues of TDIU as of December 3, 2015 and a higher rating for nasal fracture residual scar due to conflicting medical evidence regarding the presence of a scar. The issue of TDIU prior to December 3, 2015 is also remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of an opinion on whether service-connected conditions contributed substantially or materially to the cause of death. The examiner is asked to provide opinions regarding aggravation by service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder was denied. His claim for increased rating of scalp scars resulted in a grant of 30% disability effective July 12, 2021. The claim for compensable rating of inclusion cyst on right mid scalp was denied.

The Veteran's schizophrenia and unspecified anxiety disorder have been granted a 100 percent disability rating effective from February 27, 2022. However, the claim for total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU) has been denied.

The Veteran's service-connected psychiatric disorder, rated at 70 percent disabling since December 1, 2021, is sufficient to grant a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) and statutory special monthly compensation (SMC) effective December 1, 2021.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to secure an adequate medical examination and review of his service records, as the current evidence does not provide sufficient information on the nature and etiology of his claimed psychiatric disability.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, as there was no current diagnosis of PTSD or any other psychiatric disability.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and denied entitlement to a disability rating greater than 30 percent for acquired psychiatric disability. The Veteran's current symptoms do not meet the criteria for higher ratings.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and schizophrenia, was granted with an effective date of August 17, 1987. The Board also remanded the issue of earlier eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits.,An earlier effective date of May 19, 2011, is sought for basic eligibility to DEA benefits.

The Veteran's hypertension and psychiatric disorder have been rated at the minimum levels, with no compensable rating for erectile dysfunction.,The Veteran's psychiatric disorder is currently rated as 30 percent disabling under the General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for headache disability, acquired psychiatric disorder, and TBI due to an evidentiary window issue. The Veteran will be provided another opportunity to submit evidence within the August 2020 HLR rating decision.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are of such severity that they prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment, and a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) is granted.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, right wrist disability, and left wrist disability due to a lack of evidence showing the presence of these conditions during or within one year after service. The Veteran's statements were not considered sufficient to establish current diagnoses.