Acquired psychiatric disorder Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including VA examinations.

The Veteran's service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder has prevented her from securing or maintaining a substantially gainful occupation since at least April 2012, due to difficulties with organizing thoughts and completing tasks.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, and for a rating in excess of 10 percent for traumatic arthritis of the left elbow. The Board found that there was no evidence linking the current psychiatric condition or traumatic arthritis to service.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination. The issues include psychiatric disorders, dissociative amnesia, low back condition, left leg condition, and right leg condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for multiple cerebral cysts associated with seizures and a neurocognitive disorder including psychiatric disorders and memory loss due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the nature of his disabilities and their relationship to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including major depressive disorder. The evidence did not show that his current psychiatric disability was incurred or aggravated by military service and pre-existed service.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on the issues of appendix removal, gall bladder removal, vision disorder, body sweats, hearing loss, Meniere’s disease, tinnitus, colon cancer (also claimed as partial colon/intestinal removal), testicular cancer and removal, Barrett's esophagus, right foot peripheral neuropathy, left foot peripheral neuropathy, right hand peripheral neuropathy, left hand peripheral neuropathy, chronic fatigue syndrome, right knee disability, left knee disability, hepatitis C, malaise, neck surgery broken vertebra, sleep apnea, irritable bowel syndrome, subcutaneous cell carcinoma, and an acquired psychiatric disorder have been withdrawn. The remaining issues of service connection for hearing loss, Meniere’s disease, and tinnitus are REMANDED.

The Board denied service connection for fibromyalgia, OSA, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD) due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's military service. The Board found that the Veteran did not have a current diagnosis of PTSD related to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including a mood disorder and PTSD, was granted with an effective date of November 29, 2011. The Board found that the earliest evidence of a diagnosis met the DSM criteria for PTSD.

The claim for service connection for mixed hyperlipidemia was denied as new and material evidence was not submitted. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability, anemia, chronic kidney disease, respiratory disability, rheumatoid arthritis, and psychiatric disability were granted due to in-service noise exposure during combat in Vietnam.

The Veteran's psychiatric condition is now rated at 70 percent, the highest available rating under the General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders. This decision grants an increased disability rating.

The Board denied service connection for a back disability, left leg disability, right leg disability, acquired psychiatric disorder, and peptic ulcer disease as the evidence did not show these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by military service.,The Board found that there was no continuity of symptomatology from active duty to current time.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, finding that it is secondary to his service-connected right knee, right shoulder, and cervical spine disabilities.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted as he is unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an acquired psychiatric disability and a headache disorder due to inadequate examination in August 2019.,The preponderance of evidence is against finding that the Veteran’s current conditions are related to service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's petitions to reopen his previously denied claims for service connection for degenerative disc disease, left knee disability, right knee disability, bilateral pes planus, and an acquired psychiatric disability. The cases are remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient evidence and need for additional examinations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to a lack of VA examinations and inextricably intertwined issues. The right arm disability claim is being remanded for another examination, while the psychiatric disorder claim is being remanded as it is dependent on the outcome of the right arm disability claim.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder was denied in September 2013 due to lack of corroborated stressors. The RO reopened the claim in February 2015 and again denied it, finding no new and material evidence. The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his degenerative joint disease of the lumbosacral spine is remanded for further development.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete VA opinions and requires a new examination to address the etiology of the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder.