Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2005

The Board denied service connection for bipolar affective disorder, bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, and tinnitus. The appellant's psychiatric disorders are not considered to be related to his military service.

The veteran's claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy and an acquired psychiatric disorder were denied. The RO granted a higher rating of 20 percent for cold injury residuals to both feet from October 7, 1996, to January 11, 1998, but denied ratings in excess of 20 percent for the right and left foot cold injury residuals.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including bipolar disorder, and a stomach disorder, including gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD) and diverticulosis.,There is no evidence of a chronic acquired psychiatric disorder or stomach disorder during active duty. The veteran's current conditions are not shown to be related to service.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for DIC under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318, finding that the veteran was not in full remission of his service-connected psychiatric disability and did not meet the eligibility criteria for enhanced DIC benefits.

The Board has determined that the veteran's psychiatric disorder, previously rated at noncompensable level, warrants a 50 percent rating effective since June 13, 1991. The claim for an earlier effective date is granted.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been presented to reopen the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, a back disability, sinusitis (claimed as due to undiagnosed illness), fibromyositis (claimed as due to undiagnosed illness), thyroid disorder, and skin disorder. The appeals are granted.

The Board has reviewed the veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disorder and an acquired psychiatric disorder. Both claims were previously denied, and no new and material evidence was received to reopen either claim.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder and remanded it to the RO for further development. The case will be returned to the Board after compliance with all instructions.

The Board found that the veteran's preexisting schizophrenia did not aggravate during active service and granted service connection for a psychiatric disorder, to include schizophrenia.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have any of the claimed disabilities, and therefore denied his service connection claims.

The veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include post-traumatic stress disorder, was denied as there is no credible supporting evidence of the claimed inservice stressors. The Board found that the veteran did not engage in combat with the enemy and thus his lay statements cannot be accepted without corroboration.

The Board found no evidence of a psychiatric disability during service and concluded that the veteran's current psychiatric condition is not related to his military service.

The Board denied reopening of claims for service connection due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for secondary service connection for a psychiatric disorder, finding that there is no evidence of an established service-connected condition and insufficient medical evidence to support a secondary service connection.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and a VA psychiatric examination to determine if any pre-existing psychiatric disorder worsened during service.

The VA has assigned a 50 percent disability rating for the veteran's residuals of schizophrenic reaction, reflecting occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

The Board has found new and material evidence to reopen the claim seeking service connection for a psychiatric disability, which was previously denied in December 1987. The reopened claim is now granted.

The Board has determined that an effective date of December 22, 2003 for a total schedular evaluation for paranoid schizophrenia is warranted due to the fact that it was factually ascertainable as of April 23, 1996 that the appellant's service-connected psychiatric disability resulted in total social and industrial inadaptability.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including verification of claimed stressors and consideration of his service connection claims.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been presented to reopen the claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder.