Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2000

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a psychiatric disorder and residuals of a right inguinal hernia, finding that the conditions were not incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Board denied service connection for a psychiatric disability, finding that the claim was not well grounded.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the veteran's claim for service connection for a mental disorder, secondary to traumatic chorioretinitis of the left eye.

The veteran's unauthorized private hospitalization at Tulane University Medical Center for pseudarthrosis of L5-S1 with loose instrumentation was not authorized by VA and reimbursement is denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a psychiatric disorder and a respiratory disorder, finding that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen the psychiatric disorder claim and that the respiratory disorder claim was not well-grounded.

The Board has determined that the veteran is not competent to handle VA funds due to his mental condition, specifically schizophrenia.

The Board found that the claim of service connection for a chronic acquired psychiatric disorder is not well-grounded and denied it.

The Board has determined that the appellant does not have qualifying military service and therefore is not eligible for VA compensation benefits.

The Board found the claim not well-grounded and denied service connection for psychiatric disability.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD with paranoid schizophrenia effective February 18, 2000. The veteran's claim was reopened due to new and material evidence submitted in 1992.

The Board found that the veteran's service-connected ankle disabilities did not cause or aggravate his right knee, left knee, back, bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, left shoulder, and psychiatric disorders.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and disability of the cervical spine, finding that these conditions are secondary to the veteran's service-connected thoracic and lumbar spine disabilities.

The Board found that the veteran's psychiatric disorder, including depression and anxiety, is not well grounded due to lack of medical evidence linking it to service or a service-connected disability. The claim for headaches was found to be well grounded based on head trauma sustained in service.

The veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability is denied as there is no evidence of a current diagnosis or in-service event that could support the claim.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder is so severe as to render him demonstrably unable to maintain or retain employment, warranting a 100% disability rating since December 9, 1994.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, finding that her conditions did not meet the criteria for higher disability ratings or service connection. The veteran's cesarean section scar was found to be a natural result of childbirth and not a medical complication of pregnancy. Her psychiatric residuals from miscarriage were not linked to active duty service. The latex allergy was rated based on its impact on her work as an operating room nurse, but did not meet the criteria for higher ratings under applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim of service connection for a psychiatric disorder, but finds that there is no new and material evidence to support the reopening. The Board also concludes that the veteran's current psychiatric disorders are not well grounded as they do not have a direct relationship with his military service.

The Board has granted the veteran's claim of service connection for keloid acne. The issue regarding whether new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen a claim of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is denied.

The Board found that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the claims for service connection for a psychiatric disability and residuals of a left knee injury. However, it was determined that the appellant's character of discharge from military service is under dishonorable conditions due to willful and persistent misconduct (AWOL), which constitutes a bar to VA benefits other than health care and related benefits authorized by Chapter 17, Title 38, United States Code.

The Board found that the veteran does not have PTSD related to active service and concluded that his antisocial personality disorder, with attendant substance abuse, is the primary cause of his psychiatric symptoms. The claim for a permanent and total disability rating for pension purposes was also denied due to the presence of nonservice-connected disabilities.