Acquired psychiatric disorder Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cause of death is related to his service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD. However, due to a duty-to-assist error, the case must be remanded for further development.

The Veteran's appeal was reinstated due to the VA Form 9 being timely filed despite not receiving proper notice of the May 2018 Statement of the Case. The Board found that the representative did not receive timely notice and thus the appeal is considered valid.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disabilities, including unspecified depressive disorder and unspecified anxiety disorder, are granted as secondary to her service-connected musculoskeletal and neural disabilities.,Service connection for PTSD is denied because the Veteran does not meet the DSM-5 criteria for a diagnosis of PTSD.

The Veteran's claim for PTSD was denied as she does not have a current diagnosis of PTSD. Her acquired psychiatric disorder, other than PTSD, had its onset during service.,The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, other than PTSD, including an anxiety condition related to incidents in service, has been granted service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including other trauma and stressor related disorder (PTSD), finding that the Veteran's symptoms are related to his military service. The denial of PTSD is not relevant to this decision.

Service connection is granted for bilateral dry eye syndrome, tinnitus, and migraine headaches. Service connection is denied for acquired psychiatric disorder, hypertension, erectile dysfunction, right knee disability, left knee disability loss, left hip disability, right foot disability loss, lumbar spine disability, and skin rash.

The Veteran's schizophrenia was initially manifested during his military service and new evidence has been submitted, leading to the readjudication of the claim for service connection.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for a TDIU effective May 26, 2022. The appeal is based on an increased rating for his acquired psychiatric disorder and includes consideration of the TDIU.

The Board has denied service connection for back, right shoulder, and left shoulder disabilities. The psychiatric disorder claim is remanded due to a duty to assist error.

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error regarding Social Security Administration (SSA) records.

The Veteran's TDIU is based on a single disability (vertigo) and his ischemic heart disease, which was rated at 60 percent disabling prior to December 27, 2022. Therefore, the criteria for SMC housebound benefits are met and granted effective December 29, 2014.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's diagnosed psychiatric disabilities, including PTSD, depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, and substance use disorder, finding that these conditions are etiologically related to a personal assault during active service.

The Board has restored the Veteran's 10 percent rating for epididymitis and granted service connection for erectile dysfunction (ED). The decision is based on evidence showing that ED was caused by his service-connected epididymitis.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, muscle injury, left and right knee conditions are all granted service connection. The Veteran's PTSD is related to his in-service work as a mortuary affairs specialist. His muscle injury is related to the run during an Army Physical Fitness Test. However, his left and right knee conditions do not have sufficient evidence linking them to service.

The Veteran's claims are being remanded due to duty-to-assist errors and the need for additional medical examinations. The issues of service connection for various conditions, including right knee osteoarthritis, left knee condition, acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD), left hip condition, hearing loss, and cervical degenerative joint disease, will be reconsidered.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development to address his claims of service connection for a headache disability and an acquired psychiatric disability, including as residuals of TBI. The issues include determining whether these conditions are related to service-connected disabilities or other factors.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including psychiatric disorders, bilateral leg swelling, diabetes mellitus, right knee and ankle pain, left hip pain, chronic back pain, hypertension, headaches, and prostate cancer. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to service or the presumption of herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, MDD, and panic disorder, is rated at 70 percent since July 6, 2019. The other issues remain denied.

The Veteran's cervical scar claim is denied, and the psychiatric disorder claim is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD, hypertension, right ear hearing loss, left ear hearing loss, headache disorder, and urinary problems/condition was denied. The case is REMANDED for further development.