Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2003

The Board found no evidence of a respiratory or psychiatric disorder during service, and the weight of the evidence is against a conclusion that any current conditions are etiologically related to service.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for DIC under 38 U.S.C. § 1318, service connection for cause of the veteran's death, and an earlier effective date for a total rating due to unemployability based on CUE in a March 1982 RO rating decision.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed psychiatric disability and seizure disorder were not incurred or aggravated by service, nor may they be presumed to have been incurred in service. The back and neck disabilities are also not established as being related to service.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 50 percent for schizophrenia, paranoid type. The claim for entitlement to TDIU was also denied due to lack of evidence from the missed August 2001 VA mental disorders examination.

The Board found no competent medical evidence linking the veteran's claimed acquired psychiatric disorder to his military service and denied the claim.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed conditions, including arthritis, chest pain, and a psychiatric disorder (claimed as depressive disorder), were not incurred or aggravated during his period of active service. The claims for service connection have been denied.

The Board found new and material evidence to reopen the claims for bilateral hearing loss and a psychiatric disorder, but denied reopening of the claim for service connection for a back disability.,Service connection was granted for bilateral hearing loss as it is presumed incurred due to military service. The psychiatric disorders are secondary to the service-connected hearing loss.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including a left eye disorder, right eye disorder, acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD), right hip disorder, and residuals of a right fibula fracture. The decision also addressed his claim for an increased disability rating for service-connected disabilities and whether he was entitled to a total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has determined that the veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, was incurred in active service and granted service connection.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder. The evidence submitted since the 1982 decision does not address whether the veteran's pre-existing psychiatric disability was aggravated during her short active duty service.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence was submitted to reopen the veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including paranoid schizophrenia. However, the claim remains denied as it is not well grounded.

The veteran's cause of death was attributed to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease, which the VA determined did not have its onset during service. The appellant argued that her husband's service-connected disabilities contributed to his death, but this argument lacked medical support. As a result, the claim for service connection for the cause of death was denied.

The Board has reopened the appellant's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder due to new evidence submitted since the July 1997 decision. The claim will now be reviewed on its merits.

The Board denied increased evaluation for right knee disability and service connection for acquired psychiatric disability including PTSD, as well as service connection for back disability.

The Board has determined that the veteran's schizophrenia began during service and granted service connection for this condition.

The veteran's appeal is for an effective date prior to October 24, 1997 for service connection of paranoid schizophrenia. The Board has remanded the case due to VCAA compliance issues.

The VA determined that the veteran's psychiatric disorder was not incurred in or as a result of his military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's chronic fatigue with flu-like symptoms and a chronic gastrointestinal disability are causally related to his military service, specifically due to an undiagnosed illness.

The Board denied the veteran's claim to reopen his service connection for a back disorder and also denied an increased rating for his schizophrenia. The evidence submitted since August 1993 did not provide new and material evidence, and the veteran's current symptoms do not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board denied the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a psychiatric disability, finding that there was no evidence supporting his claim of having experienced psychic trauma in Vietnam and thus concluding that an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, was not incurred in or aggravated by military service.