Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2001

The veteran's hearing loss disability is not service-connected, but his neuropsychiatric disorder and low back disorder are. The claim for an increased rating for the fracture of the left ankle remains unresolved.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a low back disability related to his active service and has denied service connection for this condition. The veteran's second degree burns of the left arm, left axilla, and right lumbar region are currently rated at 10 percent.

The veteran's psychiatric disorder is not service-connected, and his right knee disability remains at a 30% rating. He was granted temporary total disability based on surgery but denied other claims.

The veteran's paranoid schizophrenia, the only service-connected condition at the time, prevented him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation for the period from July 31, 1996 to February 2, 1999. As such, he was granted a 100% rating during this period.

The Board denied the veteran's claim of reopening his service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that the new evidence did not provide a basis to reopen the case.

The Board has granted service connection for paranoid schizophrenia and assigned a 10 percent disability rating, effective May 20, 2001.

The Board granted service connection for schizophrenia effective April 16, 1992, based on new and material evidence submitted after the initial denial in 1987.

The Board found that the veteran's schizophrenia was incurred in service and granted service connection for this condition.

The veteran's claims for an increased evaluation for post-operative left varicocele and service connection for a left inguinal hernia, psychiatric disorder, and degenerative joint disease and degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine (claimed as back) were denied by the RO. The RO also denied service connection for PTSD.

The evidence does not meet the criteria for a higher disability evaluation as the veteran's schizophrenia, undifferentiated type, has resulted in occupational and social impairment but not to the extent warranting an increased rating.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim of service connection for schizophrenia and finds that new evidence supports a finding that his symptoms during active duty were early manifestations of his eventual diagnosis of schizophrenia. As such, the claim is granted.

The Board granted a 100 percent schedular evaluation for the veteran's paranoid-type schizophrenia effective June 6, 1997.

The Board has denied all claims as there is no evidence of a current disability or disease that can be linked to service.

The Board found that the RO rating decisions were not clearly and unmistakably erroneous, and denied a current rating in excess of 70 percent for schizophrenia, undifferentiated type.

The veteran's claim for service connection for headaches and a psychiatric disorder or personality disorder (claimed as depression syndrome, anxiety, or an organic mental disorder) was denied. The Board found that the veteran did not present evidence of an etiological link between his in-service head injury and current conditions.

The veteran has submitted new evidence suggesting that his current psychiatric conditions may have been present during service. The Board is considering whether this new evidence, combined with previous evidence, is sufficient to reopen the claim for service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for the veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, specifically post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), finding that it is related to his military service.

The Board has reopened the appellant's claim of entitlement to service connection for the cause of the veteran's death due to new and material evidence. The case is remanded for further development, including a VA medical examination and consideration of DIC under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151.

The veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and his petition to reopen his claim of entitlement to service connection for PTSD were denied. The veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for alcohol/substance abuse was also denied due to the statute prohibiting compensation benefits for primary alcohol abuse.

The Board denied the veteran's request for an earlier effective date of August 29, 1996, for his award of nonservice-connected pension benefits. The veteran argued that he was incapacitated and hospitalized prior to this date due to his schizophrenia and other conditions. However, the Board found no evidence supporting this claim and determined that the appropriate effective date should be August 29, 1996.