Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2006

The Board finds that the veteran does not meet the criteria for special monthly pension based on need for regular aid and assistance or being housebound due to his mental disorders.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected disabilities, including chronic undifferentiated type schizophrenic reaction and calluses of both feet, preclude him from securing or following substantially gainful employment. Therefore, a TDIU is granted.

The veteran's impotency is granted as secondary to diabetes mellitus, and his claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder due to the impotency is also granted.

The Board found that the veteran did not have a diagnosed PTSD and could not establish a link between his military service and his current psychiatric disability. The claim for service connection was denied.

The VA denied all claims of service connection for the appellant's variously claimed disabilities, finding that he was not exposed to herbicides and did not have any of these conditions as a result.

The Board has determined that the veteran's schizophrenia was incurred during service, specifically within the one-year presumptive period following his active duty for training from May 14, 1991 to May 14, 1992.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current diagnosis of PTSD and there is no evidence linking any acquired psychiatric disability to his service. As such, the claim for service connection is denied.

The veteran's claim for an increased disability rating in excess of 30 percent for his service-connected schizophrenia, undifferentiated type is being remanded due to the need for additional development including obtaining updated medical records and scheduling a VA psychiatric examination.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for schizophrenia and an initial higher rating for PTSD, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his period of active service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed psychiatric disorder, residuals of a head injury, and residuals of a neck injury are not related to his active service. The evidence does not support a finding that any current disabilities were incurred or aggravated by service.

The case is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining private medical records and scheduling a VA psychiatric examination. The focus will be on determining whether the veteran's current psychiatric disorder(s), to include PTSD, are related to service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to incomplete medical records and the need to obtain pertinent VA treatment records.

The Board found that the veteran does not currently have PTSD and his current psychiatric disorder is not causally related to his period of active duty. Therefore, service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, is not warranted.

The Board has determined that the veteran's psychiatric disability was not incurred in or aggravated by active military service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Board found that the veteran's service connection claim for bilateral hearing loss was not granted due to lack of current evidence of a disability. The psychiatric disability claim, including PTSD, is remanded for further development and examination.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA and private mental health treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any mental disorder.

The Board has remanded the case for a VA examination to determine if the veteran's paranoid schizophrenia is related to service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection of malaria, other psychiatric disorder claimed as neurasthenia, and Parkinson's disease due to lack of evidence supporting these conditions.

The veteran's claim for reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses incurred at a non-VA hospital in April 2004 is granted due to the presence of an emergency and the unavailability of VA facilities.

The Board finds that there is no competent medical evidence showing the appellant's acquired psychiatric disorder (variously diagnosed as paranoid schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder) is related to service, and personality disorders do not warrant service connection for VA benefits purposes.