Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2004

The Board has remanded the case for further development and examination to determine if the veteran's current psychiatric disabilities, including schizophrenia, depression, and PTSD, are related to his military service.

The Board found that the veteran's service records do not show any head injury during his active duty, and thus denied his claim for residuals of a head injury. The issue regarding PTSD was characterized as one requiring new and material evidence to reopen previously-denied claims.

The Board has denied service connection for a psychiatric disorder, a cardiac disorder, diabetes mellitus, leg scars, arthritis of the neck and shoulders. The evidence does not support a finding that any current disabilities are related to service.

The Board has granted service connection for the veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD) and has reopened his claim of service connection for myositis of the dorsal and cervical spine. The hypertension issue remains pending as it is secondary to the now service-connected PTSD.

The Board found that the veteran's kidney disability was not incurred in or aggravated by his active duty service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the veteran's claims for PTSD, but not for a back disorder or psychiatric disorder. The gastrointestinal and skin disorders are not service-connected due to lack of evidence.

The Board found no evidence of a current psychiatric disability, specifically schizophrenia, and concluded that the veteran's claimed condition did not manifest during service or is otherwise related to service. The claim for service connection was therefore denied.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded due to his incarceration, and a video conference hearing will be scheduled at the Federal Correctional Center in Coleman, FL.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and a psychiatric disability other than PTSD due to incomplete information from VA records, lack of notification regarding VCAA provisions, and need for further development.

The Board found that the veteran's claimed acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, was not incurred in or aggravated by his active duty service.

The case is being remanded for consideration of the old version of VA's rating criteria for mental disorders, effective prior to November 7, 1996. The benefits sought are not granted at this time.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, due to new evidence presented since the last final decision.

The Board denied service connection for refractive error, right eye disability, acquired psychiatric disability, and tinnitus as the conditions are not considered disabilities under VA compensation laws.

The Board has reopened the claim for residuals of a right arm injury and granted service connection. The psychiatric disorder claim is denied.

The Board has denied the claim of clear and unmistakable error (CUE) in the May 1945 rating decision, but has determined that new and material evidence to reopen the claim for service connection for bilateral pes planus has been received.

The Board denied DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318 as the veteran did not have a service-connected disability at the time of his death and there was no evidence to support a finding that he would have been entitled to a total disability rating for ten years immediately preceding his death.