Acquired psychiatric disorder Board decisions

The Board has found the VA's attempts to verify the Veteran's claimed stressor inadequate and remanded for further action. The matter is now being returned to the AOJ for another attempt at verifying the stressor.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including schizophrenia. The VA examiner concluded that there is no evidence to support a diagnosis of schizophrenia since 2015 or a diagnosis reasonably related to military service.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder has been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran. The Board does not have jurisdiction to adjudicate this matter as it is no longer relevant.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD, degenerative joint disease of the thoracolumbar spine without radiculopathy, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus have been granted. The claim for a low back disability is being remanded.,The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder (to include a depressive disorder and/or PTSD) and respiratory disorder (to include COPD and/or emphysema) claims are also being remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the case for a new examination to assess all nonservice-connected disabilities, including mental health conditions and physical injuries.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient review of deck logs from the USS Independence, which could have corroborated the appellant's claimed stressor. The VA is instructed to obtain these records and determine if they can verify the event.

The Board has remanded several service connection and increased rating claims, including those for a back disability, right hip disability, left hip disability, right knee disability, diverticulitis, psychiatric disability, and diabetes mellitus. The effective dates for the grant of service connection are not addressed in this decision.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, has been reopened due to the submission of new evidence. The case is remanded for a VA examination and further development.

The petition to reopen a claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is granted. The appeal is granted to that extent only, with the rating for hypertension denied and the issues of service connection for weakness in the left upper extremity, headaches, confusion, blurred vision, nausea, vomiting, nosebleeds, fatigue, chest pains, difficulty breathing, irregular heartbeat and blood in the urine on a secondary basis to hypertension are remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for updated medical records and an opinion regarding direct and secondary service connection.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted service connection. The cases for eye disability, psychiatric disability, right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, and left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy are remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for schizophrenia has been reopened and granted. The claim for service connection for a left hamstring disability is remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders pre-existed service or were aggravated by it. The VA examiner will be asked to provide opinions on these matters.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that there was no credible evidence of a stressor event and that the current psychiatric conditions are not related to his military service.

The Board has restored a 50% rating for the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder and remanded the issues of entitlement to a higher rating and TDIU.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder has been reopened, and to that extent only, the claim is allowed. The claims for dizziness, right eye condition, skin condition, and low back disability are remanded due to outstanding records and need for additional examinations.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection for a bladder condition and a psychiatric disorder (including Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Depression) as these issues were not appealed in the first place.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for sarcoidosis, sickle cell anemia, bilateral hearing loss, vision disability, flat feet, acquired psychiatric disability, insomnia, heart disability, hepatitis C, and kidney disability is granted with effective dates ranging from November 25, 2013 to the date of grant. The Veteran's claim of service connection for sleep apnea is remanded.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left foot condition, allergic rhinitis, and an acquired psychiatric disorder. The claim for service connection of a neck condition is still pending as it was remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for an addendum opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, specifically whether it is caused or aggravated by his service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.