Acquired psychiatric disorder Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for service connection on multiple conditions were denied in the April 2020 rating decision. The Board is denying these claims based on finality of the decision and lack of new evidence or arguments.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is granted as secondary to his service-connected allergic rhinitis. Service connection for PTSD, adjustment disorder with anxious mood and/or depressed mood, and any other mental disorders are denied due to lack of a formal DSM-5 diagnosis during the pendency of the claim.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for service-connected degenerative joint disease of the right hand is granted. The claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and gastrointestinal disorder are remanded.

The Veteran's increased ratings for his acquired psychiatric disorder and right knee degenerative joint disease and meniscal tear to include chondromalacia were denied. The rating for the acquired psychiatric disorder was maintained at 70 percent, while the rating for the right knee condition was increased to 20 percent.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequate VA opinions and failure to consider all relevant evidence. The claims will be reconsidered on their merits.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for tinnitus, psychiatric disorders, OSA, and bilateral hearing loss due to pre-existing duty as a field artillery turret mechanic. The Veteran's assertions of in-service noise exposure are considered.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions and records. The issues of TBI, psychiatric disability, sleep impairment, headache, vestibular disorder, shoulder disabilities, knee, ankle, foot, and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy will be reconsidered.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a need for additional medical examination and consideration of new evidence. The Veteran's initial disability rating for his service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder is currently at 10 percent, but he believes it does not accurately reflect the severity of his condition.

The Board has decided to remand the service connection claims for migraine headaches, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD, anxiety, and depression), and bipolar disorder due to incomplete and inadequate VA examinations. The Veteran's lay statements are also considered in these decisions.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including anxiety, back disability, neck disability, right knee disability, left knee disability, head injury, and right ear hearing loss. The effective date of the decisions was January 12, 2022.

The Board has denied service connection for GERD, an acquired psychiatric disability, left shoulder disability, right knee disability, and back disability as the evidence does not support a finding of in-service incurrence or aggravation.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder, is granted service connection.,The Veteran's sleep apnea, secondary to his service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder, is granted on a causation basis.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, other than major depressive disorder with anxious distress, and for a higher rating for his service-connected major depressive disorder. The effective date of the award of service connection was also denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, other than major depressive disorder with anxious distress, is denied. The claim for a higher rating for major depressive disorder with anxiety distress, recurrent, moderate, and the request for an earlier effective date are also denied.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, other than major depressive disorder with anxious distress, recurrent, moderate, and denied increased ratings and earlier effective dates for the Veteran's service-connected major depressive disorder with anxious distress, recurrent, moderate.

The Board has remanded the issues of TDIU as of December 3, 2015 and a higher rating for nasal fracture residual scar due to conflicting medical evidence regarding the presence of a scar. The issue of TDIU prior to December 3, 2015 is also remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of an opinion on whether service-connected conditions contributed substantially or materially to the cause of death. The examiner is asked to provide opinions regarding aggravation by service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder was denied. His claim for increased rating of scalp scars resulted in a grant of 30% disability effective July 12, 2021. The claim for compensable rating of inclusion cyst on right mid scalp was denied.

The Veteran's schizophrenia and unspecified anxiety disorder have been granted a 100 percent disability rating effective from February 27, 2022. However, the claim for total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU) has been denied.

The Veteran's service-connected psychiatric disorder, rated at 70 percent disabling since December 1, 2021, is sufficient to grant a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) and statutory special monthly compensation (SMC) effective December 1, 2021.