Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2006

The veteran is seeking service connection for paranoid schizophrenia, which the Board has determined requires additional development due to incomplete medical records and notification issues.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for schizophrenia and finds that it is established based on competent evidence. The veteran's schizophrenia is found to have developed during his period of active service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to a change in the Veterans Law Judge who conducted the appellant's hearing.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded due to his failure to report for a scheduled hearing. The case will be returned to the Board after further development.

The Board has determined that additional development is required to decide the veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD. This includes scheduling a VA examination and determining whether any current diagnoses are related to active service.

The veteran's service-connected thoracic spine disability is currently rated at 40 percent, but the Board found that it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating. The claims of service connection for bipolar disorder/schizophrenia and an acquired psychiatric disorder including PTSD are denied as there is no evidence to support these conditions being related to his military service.

The Board has determined that there is no jurisdictional appeal pending regarding the July 1997 rating decision, and thus dismisses the claims.

The case is being remanded for further development, including a review of the veteran's SSA file and another VA psychiatric examination to determine if his pre-existing psychiatric disability clearly and unmistakably existed prior to service.

The Board found that there is no etiologic relationship between the veteran's service-connected duodenal ulcer disease and his claimed psychiatric disorder, and thus denied both the secondary service connection claim for a psychiatric disorder and the increased rating claim for duodenal ulcer disease.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for schizophrenia and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The veteran was not diagnosed with either condition during service, and there is no evidence of a current diagnosis. The claim for PTSD was also denied due to lack of a current diagnosis.

The Board found that the veteran's claimed conditions, including residuals of head trauma and organic mental disorder/dementia, were not incurred in or aggravated by active service. The dental condition claim was also denied as there is no evidence of a combat-related injury.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current disability related to service for headaches or a psychiatric disorder, and therefore denied both claims.

The Board has granted service connection for paranoid schizophrenia, finding that the veteran's current condition is related to his military service. Service connection for PTSD was denied due to lack of credible supporting evidence regarding a claimed in-service stressor.

The veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support higher disability ratings or service connection for her claimed conditions.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for additional development and adjudication.

The Board has determined that the veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is service-connected and grants this claim.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of service medical records and the need for further examination to determine the nature and etiology of any current psychiatric disability.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the veteran's claim of service connection for a psychiatric disorder, which was previously denied based on lack of competent evidence linking the disability to service.

The veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including depression with panic attacks, is being remanded due to the need for additional development and proper VCAA notice.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including verification of inservice stressful experiences and diagnosis of PTSD.