Acquired psychiatric disorder Board decisions

The Veteran's period of service from November 3, 1965 to April 24, 1970 is considered a bar due to his AWOL for over 180 days.,Claims for service connection were denied for various conditions including low back disability, ischemic heart disease, urinary incontinence, erectile dysfunction, peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, and an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than schizophrenia, including depressive disorder NOS and as secondary to service-connected schizophrenia, needs further examination. The examiner is requested to provide opinions on whether the Veteran’s depressive disorder NOS is related to service, if it was aggravated by his service-connected schizophrenia, and if any current acquired psychiatric disability (other than schizophrenia) represents aggravation of a superimposed disease upon a developmental personality disorder.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including schizoaffective disorder, finding that the Veteran's symptoms during service are consistent with his current diagnosis.

The Veteran's service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability is granted due to the evidence showing she experienced traumatic events during her military service, which resulted in her current condition.

The Veteran's thyroid cancer is granted service connection as it manifested within one year of his separation from active duty. Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, specifically PTSD, remains denied due to insufficient evidence meeting the diagnostic standards set by the DSM-IV or DSM-V.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the Veteran's incarceration and unavailability of records. The case will be reviewed after obtaining necessary medical records and conducting a VA examination.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder have all been denied.,Specifically, the Board found that there is no current evidence of a hearing loss disability or tinnitus meeting VA criteria.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including left knee disability, thoracolumbar spine disability, bilateral hearing loss, erectile dysfunction, and an acquired psychiatric condition. The decision found that new evidence did not reopen the claim for a left knee disability, and that there was no evidence of a current disability related to service or exposure to herbicide agents.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection and SMC based on the need for aid and attendance and/or housebound status due to a psychiatric disorder. The claims are being remanded for additional development, including obtaining a medical opinion regarding whether the current acquired psychiatric disorders were onset in service or caused/aggravated by the Veteran's service-connected tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss disabilities.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for a left knee disability and remanded it for further development. The psychiatric disability (major depressive disorder) claim is also being remanded, but the hypertension rating claim remains pending.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including left and right wrist disorders, index finger injuries to the left hand and right hand, pterygium removal from the left eye, chest pains, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and an acquired psychiatric disorder. The reasons given were that there was no evidence of a link between these conditions and service.,The Board found that the Veteran's current wrist pain is not related to his in-service injuries and that arthritis of the wrists is more likely due to aging rather than service.

The Veteran's tinnitus and hypertension were granted service connection. The left shoulder, right shoulder, cervical spine, sleep disability, cephalgia tension headaches (claimed as migraines), and acquired psychiatric disabilities were not granted service connection.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss disability, lung disability, back pain, hypertension, GERD, prostate cancer, and acquired psychiatric disorder are not service connected. The case is being remanded to obtain verification of herbicide exposure in Korea and to clarify the nature and etiology of the Veteran's right ear hearing loss.

The Veteran's claim of CUE in a 1987 rating decision denying TDIU is being remanded due to the pending appeal for a higher initial rating for CAD, which could impact the TDIU issue.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for headaches, lumbar and cervical spine disabilities, erectile dysfunction, and acquired psychiatric disability (PTSD and depressive disorder) require further examination and opinion to determine their etiology and service connection.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder has been reopened and is granted. The claims for bilateral hearing loss and erectile dysfunction are remanded.

The Veteran's claims for various conditions, including muscle pain due to an undiagnosed disorder, left Achilles sprain, chronic fatigue as due to undiagnosed illness, respiratory disorder, sleep disturbances, gastrointestinal symptoms, erectile dysfunction, neuropsychological symptoms, headaches, neurological condition, and acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD) are being remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability and for a higher evaluation for meralgia paresthetica due to inadequate rationale in previous examinations and the need to verify in-service stressors.

Service connection is granted for residuals of cold injury to the bilateral lower extremities.,Service connection is denied for residuals of cold injury to the bilateral upper extremities.

The Board has decided that a VA examination is needed to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD.