Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2005

The VA determined that the veteran's current acquired psychiatric disorder is not related to his military service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The veteran's appeal for a higher evaluation of his right zygoma fracture residuals and an earlier effective date for the 100 percent rating for paranoid schizophrenia is partially granted. The 100 percent rating will be effective from December 3, 2005.

The veteran's claims for service connection for psychiatric disability and flat feet are being remanded due to his incarceration at a correctional facility. The RO must attempt to schedule examinations by VA, fee basis examiner, or medical personnel at the correctional facility to determine the current nature and etiology of any psychiatric disability and flat feet.

The veteran's service-connected schizophrenic reaction with PTSD is currently manifested by depression, episodes of elevated anxiety, recurring nightmares and disturbed sleep, memory flashbacks, and social withdrawal. This results in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity due to flattened affect, anxiety attacks, memory impairment, disturbances of motivation and mood, and difficulty in establishing and maintaining effective work and social relationships.

The veteran is seeking service connection for schizophrenia. The Board has determined that additional development and notification are needed before the claim can be decided.

The veteran seeks an effective date prior to July 11, 1990 for the award of service connection for schizophrenia. The Board denied this claim as there was no evidence of a valid Notice of Disagreement filed before July 11, 1990.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current acquired psychiatric disorder was not incurred in active duty, and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The veteran's death was not service-connected, and he did not meet the criteria for DIC under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318.

The Board has decided to remand the veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequate VA examination reports and requests for additional medical opinions.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection and a 100 percent rating for his psychiatric disability, finding that no legal basis existed to change the existing effective date.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, finding that new evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim and that there was no nexus between the disorders and service.

The RO denied the veteran's application to reopen his claim of service connection for psychiatric disability, including PTSD. The effective date remains April 17, 2001.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including a right shoulder disability, left shoulder disability, psychiatric disorder, scrotal abscess, and skin disorders. The veteran's claims were not well-grounded.

The veteran's death was not caused by or substantially contributed to by a service-connected disability. The appellant is also not entitled to DIC benefits due to lack of entitlement under the law, and there are no educational assistance benefits available for her son.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the veteran's claim for service connection for a mental disorder, including schizophrenia. The RO's October 1989 decision is final based on the evidence then of record.

The Board has determined that the veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), is reasonably attributable to service and has granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has reopened the appellant's claim for PTSD and schizophrenia, finding that new evidence raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claims. However, service connection is denied as there is no evidence showing these conditions are related to military service.

The claims of service connection for residuals of a right elbow injury, residuals of a right ankle injury, and psychiatric disorder were denied as new and material evidence was not presented.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and an acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as depression. The decision found that there was no credible supporting evidence of the claimed stressors and that the veteran did not meet the criteria for a diagnosis of PTSD due to lack of combat experience. Service connection for depression was also denied because there was no objective evidence of continuing disability or persistent symptoms since service.

The Board found no evidence of a chronic stomach disability, left ear hearing loss disability, tinnitus, foot disability, left shoulder and arm disability, sinus disability, bronchial asthma, or an acquired psychiatric disability that was incurred in service. The veteran's complaints were generally attributed to reflux disease.