Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2026

The Board has determined that the December 9, 2019 VA Form 9 was timely filed in response to a February 23, 2018 SOC. The underlying appeals for service connection have been reinstated.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as chronic adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood, is granted service connection. The Board found the evidence in equipoise, granting the claim.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for fibromyalgia, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disability have been denied. The lumbar spine and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy disabilities are remanded.,A rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus has been denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and evaluations. The issues of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, bilateral flatfoot (pes planus), and obstructive sleep apnea are pending.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been received sufficient to readjudicate the claim of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder. The Veteran's claim is being remanded due to the need for a medical opinion regarding the etiology of his acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder, left knee condition, right knee condition, and headache condition. The case is remanded to obtain additional medical opinions regarding these issues.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to correct a pre-decisional duty to assist error and obtain an updated VA examination for the Veteran's claimed acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's service connection for bilateral hearing loss, adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood (psychiatric disability), tinnitus, chronic sinusitis, lumbosacral strain with levoconvex midthoracic scoliosis (lumbar spine disability), right shoulder dislocation with rotator cuff tendonitis and shoulder strain (right shoulder disability), left shoulder strain with rotator cuff tendonitis (left shoulder disability), right knee strain with patellofemoral pain syndrome (right knee disability), left knee strain with patellofemoral pain syndrome (left knee disability), right ankle sprain with lateral collateral ligament injury (right ankle disability), and left ankle sprain with lateral collateral ligament injury (left ankle disability) has been granted. The effective date for these decisions is November 28, 2022.

The Veteran's claims for coronary artery disease, diastolic heart failure, history of myocardial infarct, and hypertension have been granted. The claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD) is being remanded.,No new evidence has been received to support the service connection for PTSD.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability was not incurred or aggravated by service and is not presumed to have been so incurred. The Board found the VA examination opinion most probative, concluding that the Veteran's current hearing loss is less likely related to his military noise exposure.,The Veteran did not meet the criteria for a PTSD diagnosis under DSM-5 due to inadequate stressor support. The VA examiner noted that the Veteran's reported stressor was not related to fear of hostile military or terrorist activity, and personal assault.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, and for special monthly compensation based on the need for regular aid and attendance was denied as there is no evidence of a diagnosed psychiatric disability. The Board found that the Veteran did not have a current diagnosis of PTSD or any other psychiatric condition.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date prior to September 22, 2022, for the grant of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder due to a final decision and lack of continuous pursuit under AMA.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinion and legal inadequacy of the VA decision regarding eligibility for PCAFC benefits. The Veteran's granddaughter, who is applying as a Primary Family Caregiver, contends that her grandfather requires personal care services due to his schizophrenia diagnosis.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric condition, including other specified trauma/stressor disorder (claimed as PTSD), is related to his military service and grants this claim.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no current disability meeting VA compensation criteria.,The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for an epidydimal cyst is remanded due to the need for a medical opinion regarding whether his reported erectile problems are related to the service-connected condition.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart disability is remanded as there is no VA Gulf War examination provided, and it is unclear if cardiovascular signs represent undiagnosed illness or chronic multi-symptom illness.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and sleep disorder is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination considering in-service stressors and neuropsychological/sleep symptoms as potential undiagnosed illnesses or chronic multi-symptom illnesses.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for neck disability and nerve disability (left side of neck down to left hand fingers) are remanded due to the need for a VA Gulf War examination considering Southwest Asia exposure risks.,reasoning_summary

The Veteran is granted an increase in SMC to the intermediate rate between subsections (m) and (n), effective October 15, 2021, due to his service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder rated at 100 percent disabling.

The Board has denied service connection for left wrist, right wrist, left hip, and right hip disabilities as well as an acquired psychiatric disorder. The evidence does not support the presence of these conditions during or recent to the appeal period.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors. The claims are not granted as there is no current hearing loss disability for VA purposes.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, finding that it is at least as likely as not caused by his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a new examination regarding his claimed acquired psychiatric disorder. The other issues of service connection are withdrawn.