Acquired psychiatric disorder Board decisions

The Board has decided to remand the claims for right shoulder disability and acquired psychiatric disorder due to insufficient evidence. The Veteran's right shoulder condition may be related to service, but a VA examination is needed to confirm this. For his psychiatric disorder, an additional examination is required as the current one did not consider all stressors reported by the Veteran.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and depression, bilateral tinnitus, excessive weight gain and obesity, diabetes mellitus, obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral pes planus, left index finger condition (not diagnosed), neck pain, lower back pain, COPD, dizziness, and chronic UTI and incontinence have been granted. The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss are denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded in several instances due to insufficient evidence or need for further medical evaluation.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back condition was reopened and granted. Service connection is also granted for the psychiatric disorder, as secondary to the low back disability.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling a Gulf War examination to assess the Veteran's claimed conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, Hepatitis B, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), and a back disability due to the need for VA examinations.

The Board has denied service connection for various conditions including shoulder, back, neck, hip, knee, foot, otosclerosis, tinnitus, heart, prostate, thyroid, diabetes, neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, and acquired psychiatric disorders. The reasons given are that there is no evidence of in-service injury or disease related to these conditions.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability is rated at 50% for the entire appeal period. The skin disability, presumed due to herbicide exposure, remains unresolved and requires further examination.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea but has remanded the issues of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and a psychosis to establish eligibility for treatment under 38 U.S.C. § 1702.

The Board has granted service connection for erectile dysfunction and a genitourinary condition, but has remanded the issues of service connection for a left shoulder condition and an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board has remanded three issues: service connection for a psychiatric disorder, an increased rating for right knee instability and DJD of the right knee. The Veteran will need to undergo additional VA examinations to address his reported flare-ups.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was denied as there is no evidence of a current diagnosis or occurrence of the claimed in-service stressor.,The Veteran's cervical spine DJD did not meet the criteria for an increased rating to more than 20 percent, as his forward flexion was within normal limits and he did not experience incapacitating episodes.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, including unspecified schizophrenia and other psychotic disorder, is found to be related to his active military service.

The Board has revised the May 1, 1967 decision to grant service connection for schizoaffective disorder and cognitive disorder, NOS from August 22, 1966.

The Veteran's appeals for evaluations in excess of 50 percent prior to February 8, 2017, and in excess of 70 percent thereafter, for unspecified mental disorder; entitlement to a TDIU; service connection for left and right knee disabilities; and service connection for sleep apnea have been dismissed due to the Veteran's withdrawals. The Board has also remanded claims for evaluations for bilateral knee disabilities and service connection for sleep apnea.

The Board denied requests for earlier effective dates for the grant of service connection for Traumatic Brain Injury and Schizophrenia. The Veteran's claims were based on direct service connection, not a presumption or new evidence.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development to address his service connection claims, including obtaining corroborated in-service stressors and medical records from private physicians. The Veteran is also required to undergo VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, headaches, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD, major depressive disorder, anxiety), a gastrointestinal disability (including gastritis, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and gastrointestinal reflux disease (GERD)), and insomnia due to outstanding records from service treatment and personnel records.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for schizophrenia, undifferentiated type. The case is remanded to obtain additional development regarding PTSD and any other psychiatric disorders.

The Board has determined that further development is needed to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's gastrointestinal disease, including ulcerative colitis, and his acquired psychiatric disorder. The claims are being remanded for additional examinations and opinions.