Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2006

The Board is remanding the case to consider whether new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen a claim of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board denied service connection for a back disability and an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that there was no evidence of in-service injury or disease. The left knee issue is referred to the RO.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection of a psychiatric disorder, claimed as schizophrenia, and determined that it was incurred in service due to aggravation.

The case is being returned to the RO for additional development due to issues related to the veteran's service-connected disabilities and his claim for additional vocational rehabilitation benefits.

The Board denied the veteran's claim of service connection for paranoid schizophrenia in August 1984, finding that there was no evidence of a psychiatric or nervous disorder during active duty for training. The RO has since attempted to reopen the claim with new and material evidence but found it not material.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining a VA psychiatric evaluation and verifying stressor events. The veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, is pending.

The Board found that the veteran's service-connected schizophrenia, paranoid type does not render him unemployable due to his condition.

The veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of January 22, 1990, for a 100 percent rating for schizophrenia is being remanded due to the need for VCAA notification and readjudication.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to deficiencies in the VCAA notice provided.

The Board has denied the claims for service connection for a right ankle disability, a right knee disability including arthritis, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD). The appellant did not provide objective evidence of injury in service or current disabilities. There is no medical opinion linking any current conditions to military service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a new VCAA notice and a VA scar examination. The veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder is also being considered.

The Board has determined that the veteran is competent for VA benefits purposes based on his ability to manage his own affairs, including paying his bills.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the veteran's claim for service connection for schizophrenia, which was previously denied in April 2000. The case is now remanded for further development.

The Board found that recovery of the overpayment would defeat the purpose of paying VA service-connected disability compensation benefits and create undue hardship on the veteran. Therefore, it granted the waiver of recovery.

The Board found that the veteran's symptoms of paranoia, delusions and hallucinations met the criteria for a 100% disability rating as of November 28, 2000. The effective date was set at August 22, 2001 based on the Social Security Administration records.

The Board found new and material evidence to reopen the claim, but denied service connection for PTSD as there was no link between current symptoms and an in-service stressor. The veteran's diagnosed conditions were not incurred or aggravated by active duty.

The Board found that the veteran's low back disorder, headaches, bilateral knee disorders, foot disorder, and acquired psychiatric disorder were not incurred or aggravated during qualifying military service.

The veteran's left knee disability is currently rated as 10 percent disabling. The Board finds that the current rating adequately reflects the severity of his condition and thus denies a higher rating.

The Board found that the veteran's pre-existing psychiatric disorder did not undergo chronic aggravation during service and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has denied the claim of service connection for peptic ulcer disease. The issue of an earlier effective date for gastroesophageal reflux disease is remanded.