Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2005

The Board has found new and material evidence to reopen the veteran's claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD. The evidence supports a link between his military service and current mental health issues.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than October 30, 2000, for assignment of a total disability based on unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.

The veteran's service connection claims for pes planus and an acquired psychiatric disability, claimed as depression, were denied. The claim for a higher initial rating for low back disability was also denied.

The veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death.

The Board found that the veteran did not have PTSD as a result of active military service and denied her claim for service connection.

The veteran's claim is being remanded due to failure to comply with VCAA notice and duty-to-assist provisions, as well as the need for a VA psychiatric examination.

The Board denied the appellant's claims to reopen his previously denied service connection for a psychiatric disorder (paranoid schizophrenia) and an eye injury claimed as double vision. The claim for increased evaluation of residuals of spontaneous pneumothorax was also denied.

The Board found that the evidence did not establish material improvement in the veteran's service-connected schizophrenia, and thus denied the reduction of his disability rating from 100% to 70%.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to incomplete medical records from the Johnson City VAMC.

The Board found that the veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder did not start in service or exist at the time of entrance and became worse in service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's psychiatric disability did not begin during service and is not related to any disease or injury in service. Therefore, the claim for service connection is denied.

The Board has determined that the appellant's claim of service connection for a mental disorder must be remanded due to inadequate notice and because SSA disability benefits records are needed.

The veteran's service-connected psychiatric disability, characterized by schizophrenic reaction and major depressive disorder, is currently rated at 50 percent due to occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), finding that there is insufficient evidence to support a diagnosis of PTSD based on the claimed in-service stressors.

The Board has granted service connection for schizophrenia, but denied service connection for PTSD. The decision is mixed as it grants one condition and denies another.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the veteran's claim for service connection for schizophrenia, and therefore the October 1981 RO decision remains final.

The Board has determined that the veteran's present psychiatric disability was incurred during her active military service and grants service connection for it.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disability due to new and material evidence. The issues of service connection for right leg, psychiatric disorders, and calcified cyst of spleen are remanded for further development.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for ulcer disease and did not address his psychiatric disability application to reopen. The decision concluded that ulcer disease was not incurred in or aggravated by service.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining inpatient psychiatric records and scheduling a VA examination to evaluate his left tibia fracture. The issues of increased ratings for postoperative hemorrhoidectomy and nasal septum resection with recurrent sinusitis are also referred back to the RO.