Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2001

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection due to a lack of evidence associating his current conditions with military service.

The Board has determined that the reduction from a 50% to a 30% disability rating for bipolar disorder with schizophrenic features was not proper, and has assigned a 100% evaluation based on the veteran's severe impairment in social and occupational functioning.

The Board has remanded the case due to new legislation and procedural changes, requiring additional development before a final decision can be made.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the veteran's claim of service connection for psychiatric disability. The reopened claim will now be reviewed on its merits.

The Board found that the RO's actions in September and December 1965 were not clearly and unmistakably erroneous in failing to grant service connection for schizophrenia.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development due to incomplete medical records and the need for additional examinations.

The Board found that the veteran's psychiatric disability other than PTSD was not incurred in or aggravated by service, and is neither proximately due to nor the result of his service-connected PTSD. The Board also determined that a rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD is not warranted.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, due to a lack of verified stressors and insufficient medical evidence linking current symptoms to service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a seizure disorder and an acquired psychiatric disorder, as well as her claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for residuals of a mastectomy performed in July 1995. The special monthly pension by reason of need for aid and attendance or housebound status is also denied.

The Board denied the appellant's request for waiver of recovery of an overpayment of compensation benefits due to his failure to notify VA of his felony conviction and subsequent long-term jail sentence, which resulted in a reduction of his compensation award. The Board found that this constituted bad faith.

The Board found that the veteran's death was not caused by any event in service, his service-connected schizophrenia, or medication taken for his service-connected schizophrenia.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claim for service connection for a chronic acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD is well-grounded, but denied as not supported by evidence of record.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and service verification issues. The appellant's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disability will be reconsidered after obtaining additional medical records and verifying military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran is competent for VA purposes and therefore grants the appeal.

The veteran's service-connected sinusitis is manifested by more than six non-incapacitating episodes per year, warranting a 30 percent disability evaluation.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for migraine headaches, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and paranoid schizophrenia have been denied. The RO has not assigned any rating or effective date for these conditions.

The veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death, and the underlying rating decisions are vacated.

The veteran's service-connected chronic paranoid schizophrenia resulted in total social and occupational impairment, with symptoms including panic attacks, auditory hallucinations, suicidal ideation, paranoia, depression, and social isolation. The RO granted a 70 percent rating for the disability as of December 27, 1994.

The Board has denied the appellant's claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include schizophrenia, as new and material evidence was not presented.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for a total rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities, as his conditions do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.