Acquired psychiatric disorder Board decisions

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for cervical spine disability, lumbar spine disability, psychiatric disorder (anxiety disorder NOS), and respiratory disorder due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.,Service connection was not granted as the preponderance of the evidence showed that the current disabilities were not manifest in service or related to service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's claimed PTSD and acquired psychiatric disorder. The Veteran needs to provide additional corroborating evidence of her in-service stressor, such as records from rape crisis counseling during active duty service. She also needs a VA examination to confirm her diagnoses and determine if they are related to service.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability (mood disorder NOS) as it is at least as likely as not related to the Veteran's in-service events, including convoy attacks while serving as a military policeman.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete verification of the Veteran's reported in-service stressor. Additional development is needed, including searching for morning reports and verifying the stressor incident.

The Veteran's claim for an evaluation in excess of 40 percent for his lumbar spine disability has been denied. The Board also found that some issues have been remanded, including service connection claims for a bilateral hip condition and an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's appeal for an initial disability rating higher than 10 percent for bilateral hearing loss has been dismissed due to the Veteran withdrawing his appeal.,Service connection for xerostomia is granted, with the condition being proximately due to medication used for a service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder.,An initial rating of 70 percent is granted for an acquired psychiatric disorder throughout the period on appeal. The issue of TDIU is also addressed and found to be met.,The Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities is considered.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, is granted as incurred in service. Service connection for obstructive sleep apnea is also granted as secondary to the service-connected acquired psychiatric disability.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including obtaining mental health records and verifying the Veteran's in-service stressor. The claim will be reconsidered after these steps.

The Veteran's service was not during a recognized period of war, so he does not meet the requirements for nonservice-connected disability pension benefits.

The Board denied service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and an acquired psychiatric disorder (anxiety disorder) as the Veteran's current diagnoses are not related to his military service.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's claims, including service connection for various conditions such as plantar fasciitis, wrist pain, bilateral hearing loss, paresthesias of the left fingers, a psychiatric disorder (to include depression), hand pain, and knee pain. The Veteran is not eligible for compensation benefits for any disabilities that began in or are etiologically related to his second period of active service from December 2001 through August 2007.

The Board has denied service connection for a lung condition including asthma and an acquired psychiatric disorder claimed as PTSD due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service. The case is remanded for further examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's claims.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD and an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD was denied as there is no probative medical evidence linking these conditions to his period of active duty.,Service connection for a lung disorder was also denied due to the lack of credible supporting evidence that the claimed in-service stressor occurred.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations and opinions are not adequate for adjudication of the service connection claims, particularly regarding the etiology of the diagnosed conditions. The Veteran's claims for PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus are remanded to obtain additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's brain cancer (low-grade glioma) is not service connected as it was not caused by exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. The Board found that the Veteran's current neurological and psychiatric disorders are not related to his military service.

The Board denied service connection for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and an acquired psychiatric disability other than PTSD, finding that the Veteran's claimed in-service stressors were inherently incredible and insufficient to support a valid diagnosis of PTSD. The Board also found no current evidence of any acquired psychiatric disability other than PTSD related to active service.

The Board dismissed the appeal due to the Veteran's death and no longer has jurisdiction over the case.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete development of stressor evidence, and the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD.

The Veteran's appeals for right and left knee disabilities have been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeal of these issues at a hearing.,A claim of entitlement to service connection for a neck disability has been reopened due to new evidence. The Veteran's neck disability is found to be related to his active service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for further development due to new evidence being added to his file, including VA treatment records. The claims include service connection for various conditions related to scleroderma and other disabilities.