Acquired psychiatric disorder Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD and Major Depressive Disorder, as well as substance abuse disorders. The decision is based on the Veteran's in-service stressors and continued symptoms post-service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prior to October 31, 2016, rendered him unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment. From October 31, 2016, the Veteran has been awarded a 100 percent schedular evaluation for his psychiatric disability, making TDIU moot. The Veteran is also granted SMC based on housebound status.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted service connection. The ratings for his left and right knee scars, as well as the rating for his right knee disability, are denied prior to August 25, 2022. The claims for secondary service connection of obstructive sleep apnea, hypertension, an acquired psychiatric disability (adjustment disorder), and a gallbladder disability are remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to errors in obtaining relevant SSA records and failing to provide a VA examination. The claims will be reconsidered with these additional pieces of evidence.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and remanded the issues of bilateral hearing loss and an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for lumbar spine disability, hypertension, aneurysm and residuals secondary to hypertension, and psychiatric disorder (PTSD) due to issues with obtaining SSA records and addressing conflicting medical evidence.

The Board has dismissed all service connection claims due to the appellant's death.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, left ankle disability, left foot disability, and an acquired psychiatric disability to include depression.

The Veteran's migraines are now rated at 50% effective September 23, 2016. The Board also granted TDIU from September 23, 2016 due to the combined effect of multiple service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders are caused by his service-connected conditions, and the claim for a compensable rating for a right knee scar is dismissed.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for rectal bleeding and other specified anxiety with alcohol use disorder were reopened.,Service connection was granted for status post multiple surgical procedures for rectal abscess and fistula and rectal incontinence (claimed as rectal bleeding), an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include major depressive disorder with psychotic features and generalized anxiety disorder, and alcohol use disorder and cannabis use disorder secondary to major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and chronic pain from recurring rectal fistula.

The Veteran's claim for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no current diagnosis of such disability.,The Veteran's claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder, left knee disorder, right knee disorder, neck disorder, and rheumatoid arthritis are all denied due to the lack of a current diagnosis.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including an acquired psychiatric disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment since December 2, 2008. The Board granted TDIU based on the evidence showing his disabilities prevent him from participating in any substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and work experience.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for schizophrenia was granted with an effective date of March 15, 2016. The Board found that the May 2016 rating decision denying the claim did not become final because new and material evidence was received within a year.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted beginning April 3, 2008. The Board also remanded the case for extraschedular consideration of TDIU after April 3, 2008.

The Board has granted an effective date of December 23, 2014 for the grant of a total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities. The Veteran met the schedular criteria for TDIU at that time.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and back condition were denied. However, the Veteran was granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder to include PTSD and MDD.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's cervical disability is not service-connected, and has remanded the psychiatric disability claim for further development.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is granted as service connected. The Board found the evidence in equipoise and granted service connection based on the reported stressors during service.

The Board has granted earlier effective dates of August 2, 2017, and September 18, 2017, for the Veteran's cluster and migraine headaches and acquired psychiatric disorder, respectively. The effective dates are based on factual ascertainability.