Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2006

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, a psychiatric disorder (including PTSD), and a gastrointestinal disorder due to lack of evidence demonstrating these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by service.

The veteran's claims for service connection for a psychiatric disorder and hepatitis were denied. The claim for a rating in excess of 40 percent for fibromyalgia was also denied.

The Board found that the veteran's schizophrenia was not incurred in or aggravated by active military service and may not be presumed to have been incurred in service.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a disability manifested by PTSD or other innocently acquired psychiatric disability due to disease or injury incurred in service. The veteran's claimed stressors could not be verified, and there is no evidence of combat involvement.

The veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection for schizophrenia was denied as his initial claim was received more than one year after discharge from active duty.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to new evidence received and VCAA notice requirements.

The Board found no evidence of a chronic psychiatric disorder during service and concluded that the veteran's current acquired psychiatric disorder is not related to her military service.

The veteran currently suffers from schizophrenia and there is competent medical evidence establishing that it was incurred during active service. The Board grants service connection for schizophrenia.

The veteran's schizophrenia is rated at 100 percent prior to December 2, 2002. The effective date for this rating is April 30, 1996.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including an examination to determine if any current psychiatric disorder is related to service.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an increased disability rating in excess of 50 percent for his service-connected schizophrenia, finding that the symptoms did not warrant a higher rating.

The veteran's death was not caused by a disability incurred in or aggravated by service, nor did service-connected disability cause or contribute to his death. The criteria for Dependents' Educational Assistance benefits under Chapter 35 have also not been met.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection due to new medical evidence provided by Dr. Riebeling, which links his schizophrenia to his military service.

The Board is remanding the case to consider whether new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 30 percent rating for his service-connected schizophrenia, finding that April 29, 2002 is the earliest possible effective date based on receipt of his claim.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a service-connected psychiatric disorder and is not eligible for nonservice-connected pension benefits.

The Board found that the veteran's claim of service connection for a chronic back disability was denied due to lack of new and material evidence.,The Board also found that the veteran's claims of service connection for schizophrenia and PTSD were denied on the merits, but his claim for PTSD was reopened based on new and material evidence.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current paranoid schizophrenia did not present during her military service, and thus denied her claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran's PTSD is service-connected due to a sexual assault during service, and tuberculosis was not incurred or aggravated by service. The claim for residuals of a head injury will be addressed in a separate remand.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including scheduling a VA psychiatric examination and providing VCAA notice.