Acquired psychiatric disorder Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining additional medical records and scheduling a VA examination to assess his eligibility for special monthly compensation based on the effects of his service-connected schizophrenia.

The Board has determined that the submitted evidence does not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and deep vein thrombosis.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee disorders, residuals of a left wrist injury, and psychiatric disorder have been denied as there is no evidence to support these claims.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination to assess the nature and etiology of his claimed skin disability and acquired psychiatric disability. The issues include seeking service connection for these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's burn residuals, finding that they are at least as likely as not incurred in military service. The issue of service connection for PTSD remains pending and will be addressed by a new VA examiner.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, fatigue, and sleep disorder were not incurred in or due to his time in service. The claims are therefore denied.

The Board found no evidence of a current disability, or that any claimed disabilities may be related to service. Therefore, the claims for sleep apnea, hypertension, gout, migraine headaches, and psychiatric disability were denied.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including verifying an in-service stressor and obtaining medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of any diagnosed psychiatric, eye, foot, or right hand disorders.

The Board has denied service connection for a heart disability, an acquired psychiatric disability, and GERD. The Veteran's diagnoses do not meet the criteria for service connection as they are either unrelated to his in-service exposure or due to other causes.,Specifically, the examiner found that the Veteran's mild aortic atherosclerosis with history of myocardial infarction is less likely than not related to any in-service herbicide exposure and was not caused by his service-connected diabetes mellitus. The acquired psychiatric disability developed approximately 30 years prior to his diabetes diagnosis and is less likely than not worsened by his service-connected diabetes mellitus. His GERD is also less likely than not the result of herbicide exposure during active service or caused by his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including verification of alleged personal assaults in service and consideration of alternative sources of supporting evidence. The Veteran's claims for alcohol and drug abuse and an acquired psychiatric disability, other than PTSD, are considered to be reopened due to new and material evidence.

The Board found that the Veteran's current heart and psychiatric disabilities did not manifest in service or within one year of separation, and are unrelated to service. The VA examiner opined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder had its onset in 2011.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, and entitlement to TDIU due to lack of evidence showing a pre-existing condition or etiology related to his military service.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, specifically PTSD with anxiety disorder, caused occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas prior to April 29, 2016. The disability did not meet the criteria for a rating of 100 percent due to lack of total occupational and social impairment.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development due to outstanding treatment records and other issues. The Veteran's request for service connection for any acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, anxiety, and depression, as well as his claim for TDIU, are pending.

The Board has determined that service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death is granted, as there is at least equipoise evidence to support a finding that the Veteran had a service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder prior to his suicide.

The Board has vacated the portion of its September 2017 decision that denied reopening of claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, a left wrist disability, and COPD. The new evidence does not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating these claims.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder and heart disorder are not shown to be related to service or any incident therein.,VA treatment records do not indicate that the Veteran's current conditions were caused by VA care.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, and an acquired psychiatric disorder. The issue of TDIU is remanded as it depends on the outcome of these newly granted claims.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient examination regarding the theories of secondary service connection and Gulf War exposure. The Veteran will need new VA examinations.

The Veteran's stepson, A.M., was not permanently incapable of self-support at the age of eighteen due to mental or physical defects. The evidence does not support a finding that A.M. had a mental defect prior to his eighteenth birthday.