Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2001

The Board found that the veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including post-traumatic stress disorder, was not incurred in or aggravated by active service. The evidence did not establish a link between any current psychiatric condition and service.

The Board found that the veteran's service-connected psychiatric disorder is manifested by occupational and social impairment with occasional decreases in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks, warranting a 30 percent evaluation. The effective date for this grant of service connection was determined to be May 1, 1998.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claims for PTSD and Paranoid Schizophrenia, finding that new evidence supports these claims. The veteran is now entitled to service connection for PTSD due to his in-service exposure to a ship fire.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the veteran's claim of service connection for a psychiatric disorder. The case is remanded for further development, including obtaining medical records from the Social Security Administration (SSA) and scheduling a VA psychiatric examination.

The veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection and compensation for schizophrenia is denied as the preponderance of evidence does not support a finding that the claim was received within one year after separation from active duty.

The Board denied the claim that an effective date prior to August 17, 1993 for TDIU is warranted. The RO granted service connection and TDIU based on a final Board decision from April 15, 1993.

The Board determined that the appellant's acquired psychiatric disorder is not proximately due to or caused by, or aggravated by, his service-connected post gastrectomy syndrome. Therefore, the claim for secondary service connection was denied.

The veteran's psychiatric disability was previously rated at 30 percent prior to October 7, 1996. Since then, the disability has been recharacterized and rated at 50 percent effective October 7, 1996.

The Board found that the veteran does not have a chronic acquired psychiatric disorder and there is no competent evidence linking any current psychiatric disorder to service. The preponderance of the evidence is against the claim.

The VA determined that the veteran's schizophrenia, paranoid type, warrants a 30 percent evaluation based on current symptoms but does not meet criteria for higher ratings.

The Board found that the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date was denied because his initial service connection claim in September 1982 was denied by a March 1983 rating decision, which became final. The March 1984 notice of disagreement did not result in a timely appeal.

The veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include a post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The case was remanded multiple times due to various issues and is now being reconsidered.

The Board has found that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the veteran's claim of service connection for a psychiatric disorder. The veteran now has an opportunity to have his case reviewed on its merits.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals denied the veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for residuals of a skull fracture with concussion, finding that his headaches were symptoms of the service-connected condition and not separate disabilities.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a psychiatric disability, which was previously denied in July 1976.

The veteran's service-connected schizophrenia (paranoid type) is currently rated at 30 percent and the Board has determined that an evaluation in excess of this rating is not warranted.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for a chronic psychiatric disorder, including schizoaffective disorder and schizophrenia. The evidence submitted since the previous denial shows that the veteran's condition may have begun during his military service.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has determined that the veteran does not have paranoid schizophrenia, which can be related to his period of service. Therefore, service connection for this condition is denied.

The veteran's claims for an effective date prior to January 22, 1993, for service connection for schizophrenia and a total rating due to unemployability caused by service-connected disability are denied.