Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2006

The Board has granted a 100 percent rating for the veteran's schizophrenia, undifferentiated type, finding that his symptoms warrant such a rating due to total occupational and social impairment.

The Board denied service connection for right shoulder, low back, and psychiatric disabilities. The veteran's claims for left shoulder, wrist, knee, ankle, cervical spine, head injury residuals, and headache disabilities were also denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's child, G.M.B., was not permanently incapable of self-support by reason of mental or physical defect at the time he attained age 18. Therefore, his claim to be recognized as a helpless child is denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's schizophrenia warranted a 100 percent rating as of September 15, 2000, based on evidence showing total social and occupational inadaptability.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining evidence of behavior changes that may support a stressor related to service and providing the veteran with an opportunity to submit such evidence or advise VA of potential sources.

The Board has determined that the veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is related to his period of active military service, and thus service connection for this condition is granted.

The Board found that the veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, to include schizophrenia, was not incurred in or aggravated by active service and denied his claim.

The Board denied service connection for a right shoulder disability, low back disability, and psychiatric disorder. The veteran's claims were based on direct evidence rather than presumptions or other theories.

The Board has determined that the veteran's schizophrenia did not begin during his military service and is not related to any in-service events or conditions. The claim for service connection was denied.

The Board found that the veteran's chronic back dysfunction with spondylolisthesis did not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 40 percent since September 26, 2003. The claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder was remanded due to incomplete records and need for further examination.

The Board has ordered additional development to obtain medical records and a medical opinion regarding the relationship between the veteran's service-connected psychiatric disorders, including medications prescribed for such, and his cause of death.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of June 7, 2001 for service connection and award of disability compensation benefits for paranoid schizophrenia.

The Board has determined that a new VA examination is needed to determine the nature and etiology of any current psychiatric disorder, as it may be related to the veteran's period of active duty service from October 1966 to January 1970.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to incomplete evidence and inadequate VCAA notice.

The veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is being remanded due to the need to obtain information from the Social Security Administration.

The veteran seeks service connection for a current psychiatric disorder, which he believes is related to his active service in Vietnam. The RO will need to verify any claimed in-service stressors and schedule the veteran for a VA psychiatric examination to determine if his current psychiatric condition is etiologically related to an in-service event.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for a psychiatric disorder and granted an increased rating to 40 percent for lumbar paravertebral myositis. The other issues remain unresolved.

The Board denied the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD. The Board concluded that there was no evidence linking his current psychiatric disorder to his military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran is competent to handle VA benefits, including disbursement of funds.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and consideration, including obtaining additional evidence and a VA psychiatric examination.