Acquired psychiatric disorder Board decisions

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a psychiatric disorder, finding that there is no evidence linking his current condition to his active military service.

The Veteran's hypertension, ischemic heart disease (coronary artery disease), diabetes mellitus type 2, and bilateral hearing loss are all granted as they are presumed to be related to herbicide exposure during service.,Service connection for OSA, an acquired psychiatric disability, and erectile dysfunction is also granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disability is granted as secondary to his service-connected bilateral pes planus with plantar fasciitis and metatarsalgia. The claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, an acquired psychiatric disorder (to include PTSD and anxiety), headache disorder, TBI, pseudofolliculitis barbae, sinusitis, left knee disability, right knee disability, and tinea versicolor of the arms, leg, chest, and face are all denied.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability has not been rated higher than the current 0 percent evaluation due to the lack of evidence showing that his hearing impairment more nearly approximates a compensable level.,The VA examiner did not provide sufficient rationale for the opinion regarding lumbosacral strain, and an addendum is needed.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD has been denied.,The effective date for the Veteran's service-connected PTSD is denied as it does not meet the criteria prior to May 22, 2013.

The Veteran's service connection claim for DMII is granted. The claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder and TDIU are remanded.

The Board has decided that service connection for a kidney disability is denied, and the issue of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability (diagnosed as dementia and depression) is remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board denied the request to readjudicate the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including alcohol use disorder due to lack of new and relevant evidence.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, and migraine headaches have been granted service connection. The Veteran is also awarded a 50% rating for her migraine headaches.

The Board found that the Veteran is not competent to handle his VA funds due to mental incapacity, and thus denied the appeal.

The Veteran's initial rating for his service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder is granted at a 70 percent level, effective prior to April 19, 2015. A 100 percent rating is granted from April 19, 2015, to January 9, 2020. A 50 percent rating is granted for the period from January 9, 2020.

The Veteran's sarcoidosis is caused by service, and he is granted service connection for this condition.,Service connection cannot be established for kidney disease as there is no evidence of its onset during or within one year following service. The Board finds the evidence does not support a finding that it was related to service.

The Veteran's claim for bilateral hearing loss was denied as there is no evidence of a current disability.,The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including schizophrenia with memory loss, anxiety, and depression, was granted service connection based on continuity of symptomatology since service. The VA examiner linked the onset to his in-service experiences.,The Veteran's claim for TBI/Residuals of TBI was denied as there is no evidence of a current diagnosis or residuals associated with such.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current ulcer and therefore, service connection for an ulcer is denied. The remaining issues on appeal are remanded due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The Board has remanded the case due to errors in obtaining the Veteran's Social Security Administration (SSA) records and for an addendum opinion regarding his acquired psychiatric disorders.

The Board has denied a compensable evaluation for AML with allogenic SCT from August 1, 2018. The appeal is remanded for further consideration of service connection claims related to hiatal hernia, dysphagia (difficulty swallowing), and an acquired mental disorder.

The Board has granted service connection for bipolar disorder but has remanded the claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, other than bipolar disorder to include as secondary to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently assigned a noncompensable rating, and the claim for a compensable evaluation is denied.,There is no evidence of a current left hip disability during or approximate to the period on appeal. The claim for service connection for a left hip condition is denied.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder with alcohol dependency is remanded as there was no specific assertion of PTSD and VA examination is needed to clarify the nature and etiology of the claimed psychiatric disorder, including whether it is secondary to or caused by a service-connected disability.,The Veteran's hypertension claim is remanded due to his assertion that it is secondary to an acquired psychiatric disorder. Service connection for diabetes mellitus (to include as secondary to hypertension) is also remanded based on the Veteran's assertion of its secondary relationship to hypertension.,Right and left lower extremity diabetic neuropathy are remanded as they are claimed to be secondary to diabetes mellitus, which is itself a claim that requires further development.,The Veteran's right and left lower extremity diabetic neuropathy claims are remanded based on the same reasoning as his diabetes mellitus claim.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted service connection and a compensable rating of 10% from June 15, 2020. Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (depressive disorder) is denied. The Veteran receives a compensable rating of 10% for her headache condition since June 15, 2020. A compensable rating for sinusitis and right ring finger avulsion injury is not granted. The umbilical hernia condition is resolved.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an initial disability rating greater than 50 percent for service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder and entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to VA's pre-decisional duty-to-assist error in not obtaining private treatment records from Dr. H. R. and Dr. M.