Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2026

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates related to service connection and increased ratings have been denied as the earliest date of receipt of claim is January 24, 2023.

The Board dismissed the claims for service connection for migraine headaches and an acquired psychiatric disorder to include GAD and insomnia as moot because the Veteran is already service connected for cervicogenic headaches, which are related to the claimed conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for migraine headaches and lumbosacral strain are granted. The claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as PTSD) is denied.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is rated at 50 percent disabling, effective February 14, 2019. The Board denied an initial rating in excess of 50 percent for the condition.

The Board denied the Appellant's claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that there is no evidence to support a link between his current mental health condition and his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including schizophrenia, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current condition and his military service.

The Board has remanded the claims for peripheral neuropathy of the left upper extremity, tinnitus, an acquired psychiatric disorder, and right ear hearing loss due to a failure to provide proper notice regarding the right to a hearing before the RO.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome, chronic sinusitis, and bilateral hearing loss have been denied.,Service connection has also been denied for an initial rating greater than 10 percent for allergic rhinitis, a compensable rating for respiratory insufficiency (bibsilar atelectasis), and an increased rating greater than 70 percent for the acquired psychiatric condition.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the complexity of the issues.,The Veteran is seeking increased ratings for various disabilities, including bilateral plantar fasciitis, a surgical scar, cervical spine disability, left upper extremity radiculopathy, left hip disability, right knee disability, psychiatric disability, right ankle and left ankle disabilities, gastrointestinal disability, vocal cord dysfunction, sinusitis, tinea, and facial acne.

The Veteran's service connection claims for migraines, an acquired psychiatric disorder (anxiety), BPH, GERD, hypertension, chronic dyspnea, vertigo as secondary to tinnitus, cervical strain, left upper extremity radiculopathy, left lower extremity radiculopathy, right lower extremity radiculopathy, insomnia, and chronic fatigue have all been granted.

The Board has granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that his service-connected schizophrenia caused him to smoke, which in turn led to COPD. This was determined after considering medical opinions and evidence indicating a causal relationship between schizophrenia and smoking.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and neuropathy in the upper extremities are related to his service-connected disabilities. The acquired psychiatric disorder is also found to be secondary to his service-connected conditions.,Affording the Veteran the benefit of doubt, his claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, neuropathy in the upper extremities, and an acquired psychiatric disorder have been granted.

The Veteran's initial, noncompensable disability rating for chronic bronchitis is denied as his pulmonary function tests do not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.,Service connection for acquired psychiatric disorder and headache disorder are remanded due to insufficient evidence addressing their etiology.

The Veteran's hypertension is currently rated as 10 percent disabling, effective August 10, 2022. The appeal for a higher rating has been dismissed.,The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability (including depression and PTSD) was granted with a noncompensable evaluation effective May 24, 2022. A subsequent decision increased the effective date to February 16, 2022. The appeal for an initial compensable rating remains pending.,The Veteran's low back strain is currently rated as 10 percent disabling, effective December 17, 2024. The appeal for a higher evaluation remains pending.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD, schizophrenia, and substance use disorder is granted with an effective date of October 22, 2009. The case is remanded to consider the Veteran's entitlement to SMC based on housebound status.

The Board has granted an initial 70 percent rating for the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, finding that it causes occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for PTSD, an acquired psychiatric disorder, and a right big toe disability due to errors in duty to assist. The Veteran is entitled to a hearing before the AOJ.

The Veteran's initial rating for the service-connected psychiatric disability was granted at a 50 percent level, effective January 2, 2024. The Board found that the severity of symptoms most nearly approximated occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

The Board has ordered remand for the issues of entitlement to an increased rating for lumbosacral spine degenerative disc disease, service connection for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a headache disorder, and an acquired psychiatric disorder. The Veteran is not provided with proper notice regarding his right to a hearing under 38 C.F.R. §​3.103(b)(1) and (d)(1). Additionally, the VA back examination was inadequate as it did not address functional loss due to pain or ameliorative effects of medications.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder as new and relevant evidence did not support readjudication.