Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2004

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete VCAA notice and need for clarification regarding stressor events during the first period of service. The claim will be reviewed again after additional development.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and evaluation of the veteran's claims, including obtaining medical records and providing a psychiatric examination to determine the nature and etiology of any current psychiatric conditions. The low back disorder claim is also being evaluated under both old and new VA regulations.

The Board has ordered additional development of the record due to incomplete medical records and a need for further examination by a psychiatrist.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the veteran's claim for service connection for schizophrenia, as his previous claims were denied in 1973 and 1999. The July 1999 RO decision remains final.

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 claim is now reopened, but further determination on its merits will be required.

The Board has granted the veteran's appeal for service connection for PTSD and schizophrenia, finding that there was new and material evidence to reopen these claims. The effective date is not specified.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the veteran's claim for service connection for schizophrenia. The other claims related to hearing loss, postoperative right foot disability, and right knee disability are pending further development.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection due to new and material evidence. The claims for left leg disability, kidney condition, liver condition, cold injuries, and psychiatric disability are all denied as there is no direct evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary and the case is being remanded to the RO for further action, including obtaining VA Vocational Rehabilitation records, psychiatric treatment records, and considering secondary service connection.

The veteran's claim for VA compensation benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for residuals of medication given for psychiatric disability is being remanded due to the need for compliance with VCAA requirements and obtaining additional medical records.

The Board has determined that the veteran's in-service self-inflicted gunshot wound to the neck was not due to willful misconduct, and service connection for residuals of a gunshot wound to the neck is granted.

The Board found no objective indications of chronic disability for the claimed conditions and concluded that they were not incurred or aggravated in active military service nor may they be presumed to be related to such service or symptoms of undiagnosed illness related to service in Southwest Asia.

The Board found that the veteran's paranoid schizophrenia was not present during or within one year of service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has granted the application to reopen the previously denied claim of service connection for a back disorder. The remaining claims, including those related to immune system damage, myositis, psychiatric disorders, COPD and asthma, actinic keratosis, right knee disorder, hiatal hernia, and gastroesophageal reflux disease, are remanded for further development.

The Board denied an increased rating for schizophrenia, currently evaluated as 50 percent disabling.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to potential incomplete medical records and for appropriate examinations.

The VA has denied service connection for respiratory, liver, skin, and thyroid disabilities due to herbicide exposure. The veteran's psychiatric disability (including PTSD) was not diagnosed during the appeal period.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete development of his medical records and failure to provide stressor information. The case will be returned to the RO for further action.

The Board has determined that the veteran's schizophrenia, a chronic undifferentiated type, originated in service and is therefore service-connected.

The veteran's schizophrenia was rated at 70 percent disabling from August 7, 1996 to December 8, 1997. The Board granted a higher rating of 100 percent effective December 9, 1997.