Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2006

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a psychiatric disability, gastrointestinal disorder, and pes planus with metatarsalgia. The issues of entitlement to service connection for a bilateral hip condition, back condition, and gynecological condition are no longer in appeal status.

The veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disability as secondary to his service-connected tinnitus is denied.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA and Social Security Administration records, evaluating the veteran's psychiatric condition, and clarifying his representation.

The Board denied the veteran's request to reopen his claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, finding that no new and material evidence had been submitted.

The Board is remanding the case to consider whether the appellant's discharge was dishonorable and to address service connection for paranoid schizophrenia, including obtaining additional evidence from alternative sources.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current spinal disabilities are incurred in service, and thus grants service connection for these conditions. However, there is no evidence of a psychiatric disorder related to service or ACDUTRA, so service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is denied.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim of service connection for a mental disorder and found that new and material evidence was submitted. However, upon review of the reopened claim, the preponderance of the evidence is against the grant of service connection.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including a VA examination and consideration of new evidence. The veteran's service connection claim will be adjudicated again.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 50 percent rating for his service-connected psychiatric disorder, finding that it was not factually ascertainable that he met the criteria for such a rating prior to June 26, 1996.

The Board has granted an apportionment of the veteran's VA disability compensation benefits in the amount of $100.00 monthly for his dependent child (M.S.). The issues of service connection for various conditions are not addressed as they were not part of this appeal.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including obtaining medical records and a VA psychiatric examination.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus did not have their onset during active military duty.,The veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder and chronic headaches were also not shown to have had their onset during active military duty.

The Board has remanded the case due to outstanding medical records and a need for further examination.

The Board denied an increased evaluation for transient pylorospasm of the esophagus and service connection for hearing loss. The claim to reopen a claim of entitlement to service connection for schizophrenia was also denied.

The Board has ordered a VA psychiatric examination to determine the nature, extent, and etiology of any psychiatric disorder now present. The veteran's failure to report for the examination is noted as being due to his own fault.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected schizophrenia is being remanded due to the need for additional medical records and further examination.

The veteran's psychiatric disorder was rated at 50% effective February 26, 2001. This is the earliest date within one year prior to his claim where disability became factually ascertainable.

The Board has remanded the case to provide the veteran with information necessary to reopen her claim for service connection for paranoid schizophrenia and to determine if service connection is warranted under a merits analysis.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder. However, additional development is needed before considering the substantive merits of the claim.

The Board found no evidence of a psychiatric disorder during service or within the one-year presumptive period after discharge. The VA examiner concluded that the veteran's current psychiatric disorder is not related to his military service, including his service-connected lung disorder.