Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2025

The appeal for service connection for depression was granted, while the claims for service connection for various other disabilities were denied.

The Board denied service connection for right ear hearing loss and an initial rating in excess of 0 percent for left ear hearing loss, while remanding claims for service connection for a psychiatric disability, a left shoulder disability, and a low back disability.

The Board denied service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disorder and remanded several other claims, including those for an acquired psychiatric disorder, headache, hypertension, cervical spine, thoracic spine, shin splints, foot disorders, and tinnitus.

The Board remands the claims for further development and to correct duty-to-assist errors, including verifying Persian Gulf service and obtaining additional medical opinions.

The Board denied the claims for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC), and accrued benefits due to a lack of evidence supporting that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities were either a principal or contributory cause of his death.

The Board granted a 70 percent rating for the acquired psychiatric disorder from November 5, 2022, onward and denied an increased rating in excess of 30 percent prior to January 21, 2020, and in excess of 50 percent prior to November 5, 2022.

The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected tinnitus, headaches, and left lower nerve extremity condition.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain and left shoulder impingement syndrome were granted increased ratings, and service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder was granted as secondary to the impact of his service-connected disabilities.

The Board remands the claim for a housebound and aid and attendance examination to determine if the Veteran's service-connected disabilities require regular aid and attendance.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, migraine headaches, sleep apnea, psychiatric disability, and multiple musculoskeletal and neurological conditions. The Board also denied an increased rating for the Veteran's lumbar spine disability.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including ADHD and anxiety, due to a lack of evidence showing a current disability.

The Board denied service connection for a left ankle condition due to the lack of evidence showing a current diagnosis. The claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder, headaches, bronchitis, and joint and muscle pain were remanded for further development.

The Board granted service connection for hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and an acquired psychiatric disability, while dismissing the appeal for obstructive sleep apnea. The Veteran was also granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for various disorders to correct duty to assist errors and obtain additional medical opinions.

The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include major depressive disorder and remanded claims for an ulcer disorder, left hip disorder, and a higher rating for the left knee disability.

The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition, to include PTSD. The appeal of the proposed reduction in evaluation of left hip strain with impairment of the thigh was dismissed.

The Board remands the veteran's claims for further development and to correct pre-decisional errors in fulfilling its duty to assist.

The Board granted service connection for sinusitis as presumptively due to particulate matter exposure and assigned initial ratings of 20 percent, 10 percent, 10 percent, and 70 percent for a thoracolumbar spine disability, right knee limitation of flexion, right knee instability, and psychiatric disability, respectively.

The Board denied service connection for cervical spine, right shoulder, lumbar spine, bilateral hip, and bilateral knee disabilities. The Board also denied an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for bilateral plantar fasciitis, a higher initial rating for bilateral plantar fasciitis, and an earlier effective date for a 50 percent disability rating for schizophrenia. However, the Board granted a 70 percent disability rating from December 14, 2021, for schizophrenia and a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Board denied an increased rating for tinnitus and remanded the claims for lumbar spine IVDS, radiculopathy of both lower extremities, service connection for a psychiatric disorder, and TDIU due to further development needed.