Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2000

The Board found that the veteran did not have a post-traumatic stress disorder and there was no evidence linking his current psychiatric disability to his active military service. Therefore, the claim for service connection is denied.

The Board found that new and material evidence had not been received to reopen the claim for service connection for a psychiatric disability, as the veteran's assertions of in-service psychotic symptoms were previously rejected by the RO.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including post-traumatic stress disorder. The appellant's claim for accrued benefits related to skin cancer is also granted.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been presented to reopen the veteran's claim of service connection for a psychiatric disorder. The case is also remanded for further development regarding an extraschedular rating for chronic actinic damage due to sun exposure.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to insufficient information regarding the claimed stressors and a lack of corroborating evidence. The appellant is required to provide detailed lists of witnesses who may have observed changes in his behavior at the time of the alleged stressor(s).

The veteran's service-connected right forearm and hand injury has been granted a 70% rating, effective from March 23, 1993. His right lower extremity radiculopathy is rated at 10%. The psychiatric disorder remains denied on the basis of direct service connection.

The Board's decision was vacated due to the veteran's death, and the appeal is dismissed.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and a stomach disorder, both claimed as secondary to service-connected disabilities. The evidence did not support these claims.

The Board has granted service connection for a genitourinary disorder manifested by enuresis and bladder neck contracture, finding that the preservice condition worsened during service. Service connection was denied for an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board denied the veteran's attempt to reopen his claim for service connection for schizophrenia, finding that the new evidence submitted was not material and did not establish a link between the claimed condition and service.

The Board finds that the evidence is in equipoise on whether the veteran's current acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as schizoaffective disorder (bipolar type), had its inception during active service. The decision grants service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining medical opinions regarding whether the veteran's psychiatric and cardiovascular disabilities are related to VA treatment.

The Board denied the veteran's attempts to reopen his claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and for disability resulting from medication used in treating such a disorder. The decision found that new and material evidence had not been submitted, and that there was no underlying service-connected condition.

The Board has determined that the veteran did not engage in combat and therefore, his lay accounts of in-service stressors are insufficient to establish the occurrence of the stressor. The unverified nature of the claimed stressor means that service connection for PTSD cannot be granted.

The Board found that the appellant's claim for service connection for hyperthyroidism is not well-grounded due to lack of evidence showing an increase in severity beyond natural progression during active military service.

The Board found no competent medical evidence linking the veteran's current psychiatric disorders to his active service, including PTSD. The claim is therefore denied.

The Board found that the veteran's schizophrenia did not meet or approximate the criteria for a rating in excess of 50 percent under either the old or new VA rating criteria, and thus denied his claim.

The Board found that the overpayment of disability compensation benefits was properly created due to fault on both VA and the veteran's part. The veteran is entitled to a waiver of recovery because collection would not result in undue economic hardship, nor would it defeat the purpose for which the disability compensation program is intended.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, claimed as schizophrenia, is well grounded. However, there is insufficient evidence to establish a nexus between her current back disability and treatment during active service.

The Board denied reopening the veteran's claims for service connection due to lack of new and material evidence. The RO previously denied these claims in July 1993, but the veteran did not appeal.