Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2005

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary before the issue on appeal can be decided, and thus the case is being remanded to the RO for further action.

The veteran claims service connection for schizophrenia, paranoid type. The Board has ordered additional development to obtain relevant medical records and a VA examination.

The Board has determined that the veteran's treatment at Laughlin Memorial Hospital on July 28, 2002 and July 29, 2002 was necessary due to an emergent medical condition and that VA facilities were not feasibly available. As a result, reimbursement for these expenses is granted.

The Board has determined that further development is needed to properly evaluate the veteran's hepatitis and psychiatric disability claims, including considering whether a separate rating for cirrhosis of the liver should be assigned and obtaining an updated VA examination.

The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability on a direct basis and established the effective date as June 27, 1995.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a chronic acquired psychiatric disorder to include depression and neurasthenia, or chronic fatigue syndrome, that was incurred in service. The claims are therefore denied.

The Board found no new and material evidence to reopen the claim for service connection of schizophrenia. The veteran's post traumatic stress disorder is currently rated at 30 percent, but does not meet the criteria for a higher rating due to lack of occupational and social impairment.

The Board has determined that further development is needed to substantiate the veteran's claim for service connection for a chronic acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD. The case will be returned to the RO for this purpose.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for psychiatric disorders, including PTSD. The Board also denied secondary service connection for alcoholism, hypertension, tachycardia, vascular problems and back surgeries caused by accidents while intoxicated as a result of psychiatric disorders.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the veteran's claim of service connection for a psychiatric disorder, which may now be reviewed on its merits.

The Board denied the veteran's request for an earlier effective date of December 17, 1997 for his service connection for schizophrenia. The earliest effective date that can be assigned is December 17, 1997 due to the one-year rule.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of death due to atrial fibrillation and pleural effusions, finding that these conditions were not present during service or for many years thereafter, and are not causally linked to service.

The Board found no current evidence of a psychiatric disorder and denied the veteran's claim for service connection as secondary to his service-connected keloid scars.

The Board denied reopening the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, inclusive of PTSD. The veteran's lumbosacral strain and DJD of the right knee and ankle were not granted increased ratings.

The Board found that the veteran's death was not caused by any service-connected condition, and thus denied his claim for service connection for cause of death.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence sufficient to reopen the veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder has been received, and thus the claim is reopened.

The Board denied the reopening of claims for service connection for hypertension and schizophrenia, finding that new and material evidence was not received to support these claims.

The Board has remanded the case due to VCAA compliance issues and for obtaining Social Security Administration records.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection of a psychiatric disorder, bladder cancer due to Agent Orange exposure, and prostate cancer. The denial was based on lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service or presumed herbicide exposure.

The Board determined that the veteran's vocational limitations due to his service-connected schizophrenia, combined with multiple medical disorders and lack of formal education since 1975, make it infeasible for him to become gainfully employed.