Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2000

The Board has denied the appellant's claims of service connection for residuals of a right knee injury, residuals of a back injury, a mental disorder, and hypoglycemia as there is no competent medical evidence linking these conditions to his periods of active duty training or inactive duty training.

The veteran died of arteriosclerotic heart disease, which was not related to his service-connected paranoid schizophrenia. The appellant's claim for DIC benefits is denied.

The veteran's claim for a specially adapted automobile and/or adaptive equipment is pending due to the inextricability of the service connection issue. The case is remanded to complete the process on both issues.

The Board found that the claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder was not well grounded due to a lack of clinical evidence linking the symptoms to the veteran's period of service.,The Board also determined that the claim of right shoulder dislocation was not well grounded as there was no medical evidence demonstrating a nexus between the current condition and the veteran's active service.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, after reviewing the veteran's claims and obtaining additional records.

The veteran's psychiatric disability, currently diagnosed as Asperger's disorder and previously diagnosed as schizophrenia, meets the criteria for a 50 percent evaluation.

The Board determined that the veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, was not well grounded due to a lack of medical evidence of a current diagnosis and no nexus between the claimed condition and service.

The Board has granted service connection for various conditions, including tinnitus, malignant melanoma of the left shoulder, basal cell carcinoma of the face, skin rash (acne), abdominal disorder (diverticulitis), headaches, acquired psychiatric disorder (depression), residuals of right nephrectomy, cyst of the liver and gallbladder, tingling of the lower extremities, a disorder of the left eyelid with associated loss of vision, residuals of stress fractures of the left tibia and ribs, and chest pain. The ratings for these conditions have not been assigned yet.

The Board denied service connection for the veteran's left knee disorder and psychiatric disorder, finding that the evidence did not support a well-grounded claim.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for paranoid schizophrenia due to new and material evidence. However, there is no definitive evidence linking the current psychiatric disorder to service or a concussion. The claim for residuals of a concussion remains unresolved.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of active military service records and an unclear claim for PTSD. The appellant's claims will be reviewed again with additional information about his service and stressors.

The Board is remanding the case to consider new evidence submitted by the veteran and determine if it constitutes new and material evidence to reopen his claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder.

The veteran's schizophrenia is currently rated at 30 percent, and the Board found that an increased rating was not warranted based on the current evidence.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the claim of service connection for a psychiatric disorder. The veteran's condition is considered to be due to his pre-existing personality disorder, which existed prior to enlistment.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an effective date prior to April 13, 1998, for a grant of nonservice-connected pension benefits due to his psychiatric disability. The RO granted the claim based on a psychiatric report dated August 5, 1997, which showed that he was permanently and totally disabled.

The Board found that the appellant did not become permanently incapable of self-support prior to attaining 18 years of age, and thus denied the claim for VA benefits based on permanent incapacity for self-support prior to age 18.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability is well-grounded and grants this claim. The Board also finds that the veteran's current diagnosis of psychosis, most consistent with schizophrenia, had its inception during his military service. However, the claims for lumbosacral strain, hearing loss, and peptic ulcer disease are not well-grounded as there is no medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for a psychiatric disability, to include PTSD, and for bilateral hearing loss are not well-grounded. The evidence does not support these claims.

The Board has determined that the appellant's claim for service connection for residuals of an injury to the right second toe is well grounded. However, her claims for service connection for stomach ulcers, acquired psychiatric disorder, headache disorder, perforated right eardrum, and a disorder manifested by anemia are not well grounded as there is no competent medical evidence linking these conditions to service. The appellant's claim for service connection for mitral valve prolapse, chronic fatigue syndrome, uterine fibroids, asthma, and syncope also lacks sufficient evidence to be considered well grounded.

The Board denied the veteran's application to reopen his claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that no new and material evidence had been submitted.