Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2005

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining additional medical records and a VA examination to address the nature and etiology of any current psychiatric disorder(s).

The Board has determined that an effective date of April 30, 1984, is warranted for the award of service connection for the veteran's paranoid-type schizophrenia.

The veteran's schizophrenia is the only service-connected condition, and he does not require regular aid and attendance or be substantially confined to his house due to this disability. Therefore, special monthly compensation based on need for regular aid and attendance or at the housebound rate is denied.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded due to scheduling issues for a hearing. The case will be returned to the RO for further action.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a bilateral eye disorder and an acquired psychiatric disorder, claimed as bipolar disorder. The Board found no evidence of chronic conditions in service or post-service that could be linked to military service.

The Board found that the veteran's service-connected schizophrenia did not contribute substantially or materially to his death from Staphylococcus aureus sepsis. The medical evidence does not support a direct causal relationship between the veteran's schizophrenia and his cause of death.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for psychiatric disability due to the submission of new and material evidence, including additional service medical records. The case is now remanded for further adjudication.

The Board has determined that the veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including major depressive disorder with psychotic features and an anxiety disorder not otherwise specified, is proximately due to or the result of a service-connected disability (left knee residuals), and his degenerative joint and disc disease of the lumbar spine was aggravated by his service-connected left ankle sprain. Both conditions are therefore granted.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence of a nexus between the veteran's current schizophrenia and his period of active service, leading to a denial of service connection.

The Board found that the September 1985 rating decision was not clearly and unmistakably erroneous, and denied the claim for an earlier effective date based on new and material evidence. The May 1996 rating decision assigning September 29, 1994 as the effective date remains final.

The Board has granted the appellant's application to reopen his previously denied claim of service connection for schizophrenia and remanded it for further development.

The Board has determined that the RO's decision on the issues of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and whether new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen a claim of entitlement to service connection for paranoid personality disorder is not in full compliance with the Veterans Claims Assistance Act of 2000. As such, these matters are being remanded for further development.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, due to a lack of credible supporting evidence that the claimed in-service stressor actually occurred.

The Board denied all service connection claims, including for an acquired psychiatric disability (schizophrenia), a right knee disability, a low back disability, and headaches. The veteran's current psychiatric disability was not related to his military service.

The veteran's claim for a TDIU is being remanded due to the need to adjudicate whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen his previously denied secondary service connection claim for a psychiatric disorder. The matter of employability will also be reconsidered.

The veteran's service-connected psychiatric disorder was granted effective April 8, 1994. Prior to September 20, 1996, the disability was rated at 30 percent.,From September 20, 1996, through August 25, 1999, the rating increased to 70 percent.

The veteran's claim for service connection for paranoid schizophrenia is being remanded due to the need for a VA psychiatric examination and additional records.

The veteran's death was caused by coronary artery disease, which is not service-connected. The appellant's claim for accrued benefits based on the veteran's October 2001 claim for an increased rating cannot be granted as there is no evidence that his schizophrenia contributed to cause his death.

The Board has found that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder. The case is being remanded for further development, including obtaining service administrative records and a VA examination to determine if any current psychiatric disorders are related to service.

The Board found that the veteran's psychiatric problems are not related to his military service and denied service connection.