Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2000

The Board found that the veteran's neuropsychiatric disorder, including organic brain syndrome and depressive syndrome, did not pre-exist his periods of service. The condition was not shown to be related to active duty or aggravated by National Guard service.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, and did not find new and material evidence to reopen the claim of service connection for PTSD. The decision is denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for a skin disorder and psychiatric disorder are not well grounded. The claim of service connection for hydrocele was denied in January 1952 and October 1953, but the veteran indicated during his hearing that he still wishes to establish service connection for this condition.

The Board found that the veteran's pre-existing respiratory disorder was aggravated by service, but did not find a link between his current acquired psychiatric disorder and service. The claims for residuals of an aspirin overdose, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus were not well-grounded.

The Board has determined that the veteran's psychiatric disorder is service-connected, based on new and material evidence submitted after his previous denial.

The Board has found new and material evidence to reopen the veteran's claim of service connection for an innocently acquired psychiatric disorder. The claim is now considered well-grounded.

The veteran's unspecified psychiatric disability results in some depression, anxiety and problems with sleeping, resulting in a mild impairment of social and industrial adaptability. The Board has determined that the current noncompensable evaluation does not adequately reflect the severity of his disability.

The Board found that the appellant's claims for service connection were not well grounded and denied them. The back disability was not shown to have been aggravated by INACDUTRA, and there is no medical evidence supporting the other conditions.

The Board has determined that the veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, identified as schizophrenia, chronic, undifferentiated type, had its onset during her active duty for training (ACDUTRA) in July 1985 and is presumed to have been incurred in the line of duty. Therefore, service connection is granted.

The veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, and bilateral hearing loss were denied as there is no credible evidence of a current disability or a link between the claimed conditions and his military service.

The Board has remanded the case for further action, including scheduling a Travel Board hearing at the Nashville-RO. The veteran's claims for an increased evaluation of varicose veins and reopening his service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder are pending.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected schizophrenia is well grounded. The RO will obtain additional medical records and review the entire evidentiary record to determine if a higher rating can be granted.

The Board found that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen the previously denied claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and a back disorder. The veteran's claim was based on his experiences during military service, including hospitalizations and diagnoses related to mental health issues.

The Board has determined that there is no new and material evidence to reopen the claim for service connection for a psychiatric disability.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been presented to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for the cause of the veteran's death. The appellant's claims were previously denied due to a lack of medical evidence linking the cause of death to service or service-connected conditions.

The Board has reopened the appellant's claims for service connection for residuals of radiation exposure and an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD. However, the new evidence does not provide a plausible link between these conditions and his military service. The claim for service connection for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), heart condition, and alcoholism remains without merit.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for a disorder of the spine and granted it. The claims for service connection for disorders of the knees, ankles, arms, skin, and hypertension are denied as not well-grounded.

The veteran's bipolar disorder, previously diagnosed as schizophrenia, was manifested by active psychotic manifestations of such severity and persistence as to produce complete social and industrial inadaptability for the period from April 3, 1984 to June 19, 1989. The Board granted a 100 percent evaluation for this period.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder due to new evidence. However, the claim remains not well-grounded as there is no medical evidence linking any current psychiatric disorders to military service.

The veteran's claim for a psychiatric disability, including depression, has been found plausible. His low back disability is determined to be secondary to his service-connected left knee disability. The veteran's left knee disability meets the criteria for a 60% evaluation.