Acquired psychiatric disorder Board decisions

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that the evidence did not establish a current disability or link to service.

The Board has granted an effective date of July 1, 2012 for the Veteran's TDIU and DEA eligibility. The decision is based on the fact that the Veteran became unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities starting from January 26, 2009.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbar spine, cervical spine, and bilateral knee disabilities are not attributable to active military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is granted. The claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is dismissed as moot due to the grant of service connection in a previous decision. The claims for service connection for vision disorder (cataracts) and bilateral hearing loss are remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as posttraumatic stress disorder) is remanded due to the submission of new and relevant evidence. The Board finds that a VA examination should be conducted to determine the etiology of all acquired psychiatric disorders present during the period of the claim.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including Chronic Adjustment Disorder and Unspecified Depressive Disorder, finding that new evidence submitted after previous denials supports this claim.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that his current diagnosis is related to his in-service adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability, tinnitus, and a psychiatric disorder, including adjustment disorder with depressive and anxious features. The evidence did not support the Veteran's claims that these conditions were related to his military service.,Specifically, the Board found no nexus between the current disabilities and service due to the Veteran's consistent denial of hearing loss and ear trouble during and after service.

The Board denied the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date and a higher initial rating for his service-connected psychiatric disorder.,The Veteran's claim was based on his depressive disorder and anxiety, which were granted with a 50% evaluation as of December 5, 2013.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected psychiatric condition contributed to his cause of death. The appellant contends that the psychiatric condition led to heart issues, and VA needs to provide an adequate opinion on this issue.

The Veteran's request for a higher-level review of his January 2009 rating decision was denied because the request was not timely filed within one year of the decision.

The Veteran's right ankle, right knee, left knee, and bilateral hip disabilities are all found to be related to his military service.,His acquired psychiatric disorder is also found to be related to his military service.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that the Veteran's symptoms were not related to his in-service events and instead linked to post-service stressors. Service connection was also denied for erectile dysfunction.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection and increased ratings for his acquired psychiatric disorder, as well as a TDIU award prior to May 22, 2012, was denied.,An initial rating in excess of 30 percent for the acquired psychiatric disorder is also denied.

The Veteran's bowel disturbance is granted a 30 percent rating, but no higher. The Veteran's service-connected fatigue as a symptom of her Multiple Sclerosis is also granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for migraine headaches and an acquired psychiatric disorder have been granted. The rating for his service-connected patellofemoral syndrome, bilateral knees, remains at 10 percent.

The Veteran's initial rating for other specified mental disorder due to another medical condition was denied as it did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.,The Veteran's Crohn's disease (claimed as IBS, stomach issues, and pain) also had its initial rating of 30 percent denied.

The appeal as to the claim of entitlement to service connection for fibromyalgia has been withdrawn. The Board has remanded the claims regarding an acquired psychiatric disorder, unspecified depressive disorder, and left knee conditions.

The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for SMC is denied. The Board found that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for SMC based on regular aid and attendance due to his service-connected acquired psychiatric disability, as his limitations are primarily due to blindness and neuropathy.

The Board has remanded the case for a VA medical examination to address the nature and etiology of any respiratory disability, including service connection based on herbicide exposure. The Veteran's psychiatric condition, back, bilateral knee, and bilateral hip disabilities are denied.