The Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic adjustment disorder with anxiety and depression, bilateral dry eyes, and headaches is granted. The claims for other acquired psychiatric disabilities (including PTSD), left ear hearing loss, and obstructive sleep apnea are denied.
The deciding factor: Service connection was established for the Veteran’s adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depression due to credible evidence linking his current condition to service. Bilateral dry eyes were also granted as a residual of medications used for his service-connected psychiatric disorders. However, other acquired psychiatric disabilities (including PTSD), left ear hearing loss, and obstructive sleep apnea did not meet the criteria for service connection.
- Claimed conditions
- adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depression, left ear hearing loss, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), headaches, bilateral dry eyes
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 100%
- Decision date
- April 4, 2019
- Citation
- 19125593
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Dismissed
The appeal for a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss, service connection for right ear hearing loss, and bilateral vision condition was dismissed. Service connection for hypertension, congestive heart failure, and coronary artery disease was denied.
- Partly granted
The Veteran was granted a 70 percent initial disability rating for PTSD effective December 2, 2021, but the claim for an increased rating in excess of 70 percent was denied. The appeal also included claims for service connection and ratings for various conditions, some of which were granted while others were remanded.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for headaches and increased ratings for left shoulder rotator cuff tear, right shoulder rotator cuff tear, hypertension, and left and right leg restless leg syndrome. The Board denied a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and an initial rating in excess of 70 percent for posttraumatic stress disorder.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) based on the Veteran's exposure to in-service chemical agents.
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