Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2005

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims due to incomplete medical records and will provide further consideration after obtaining any available treatment records.

The Board found that the veteran's schizophrenia did not have a direct relationship to his military service and denied the claim.

The Board found that the veteran's current diagnosed psychiatric disorder was not incurred in or aggravated by active military service.

The veteran does not meet the criteria for special monthly pension based on need for regular aid and attendance or housebound status.

The Board has determined that the veteran's schizophrenia did not warrant a rating in excess of 50 percent prior to January 2002 or in excess of 70 percent subsequent to January 2002. The issue of TDIU is currently pending.

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

The veteran's appeal is remanded due to incomplete notification regarding the provisions of the Veterans Claims Assistance Act of 2000 and failure to obtain records from a private psychiatrist. A new VA examination for schizophrenia is also required.

The Board determined that the veteran did not submit new and material evidence sufficient to reopen his claim for service connection for liver disease (to include hepatitis). The claims for psychiatric disability and right ear hearing loss were also denied as there was no evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board denied service connection for a psychiatric disorder, specifically schizophrenia, and also denied service connection for alcohol and drug abuse due to the law prohibiting compensation for such conditions resulting from willful misconduct or substance abuse.

The veteran's claims for service connection for paranoid schizophrenia and left knee arthritis are being remanded due to the need for additional development of his medical records.

The veteran seeks service connection for a psychiatric disability, specifically post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which he claims began during military service. The RO has not obtained all necessary records to fully evaluate his claim and is requesting additional information from the National Personnel Records Center.

The Board found that the veteran does not have migraines or schizophrenia as a result of his military service and denied both claims.

The Board has determined that the veteran's schizophrenia did not manifest during service or within one year of separation, and is unrelated to service. The claim for service connection for schizophrenia is denied.

The Board found that the veteran did not have a chronic acquired psychiatric disability in service and denied his claim of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD.

The Board denied compensation under the provisions of 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for a back disorder, disability associated with the genitourinary system, and neuropsychiatric disability due to carelessness, negligence, lack of skill, or involved errors in judgment or similar instances of fault on the part of VA.,The Board found no evidence of current identifiable additional back or genitourinary disability related to the VA's treatment of the veteran's colorectal cancer. The Board also found that the veteran's DJD of the lumbar spine was not a secondary expression of his cancer problem, and his genitourinary complaints were related to prostatic hypertrophy.,The Board concluded that the preponderance of the evidence did not establish that any current back, genitourinary, or neuropsychiatric disabilities are the result of carelessness, negligence, lack of skill, or involved errors in judgment or similar instances of fault on the part of VA.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated medical records and conducting examinations to assess the current severity of his service-connected disabilities.

The veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and the propriety of reduction in ratings for shoulder disabilities were denied. The RO increased the rating for right knee chondromalacia patella to 20 percent, confirmed a 10 percent evaluation for left knee chondromalacia patella, and reduced the evaluations for each shoulder disability from 20 to 10 percent.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and a VA examination to evaluate his back disability under the new rating criteria. The issues of increased rating for lumbosacral strain and service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder are pending.

The veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions have been denied as there is no evidence of a current disability due to any event or incident in service.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension and a 100 percent rating for schizophrenia. The issue of entitlement to service connection for major depression remains pending and is remanded for further examination and opinion.