Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2006

The Board has determined that the veteran's paranoid schizophrenia was not incurred or aggravated in active military service and is not otherwise related to service. As a result, the claim for service connection for paranoid schizophrenia is denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not meet the criteria for service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome or psychiatric disability, as there is no competent evidence of a nexus to service.

The VA has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including an acquired psychiatric disorder (to include PTSD), a myocardial infarction, memory loss, concentration loss and forgetfulness, blackouts, headaches and equilibrium problems secondary to head trauma, hives, dry skin, nose bleeds, lung disorders due to asbestos exposure, and tingling of the hands.

The Board found no evidence of a psychiatric disability during the veteran's active duty service or within one year after discharge, and thus denied the claim for service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD, but denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, whether new and material evidence was received to reopen a claim for lumbar disc disease with T12 wedging, entitlement to a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, and entitlement to a rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and need for further examination.

The Board has determined that the veteran's psychiatric disorder, bilateral foot disability, and tinnitus are all service-connected. The evidence supports a finding of in-service exposure to acoustic trauma for tinnitus.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence and a need for further development, including a psychiatric examination.

The Board has determined that the veteran's schizophrenia does not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher evaluation, and thus denied an increased rating.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of a head injury and schizophrenia, finding that new evidence did not warrant reopening the claims.

The Board found that the veteran's schizophrenia did not originate during service and was not aggravated by service. The evidence does not support a finding of service connection for schizophrenia.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete service medical records and requests for additional development, including a VA psychiatric examination.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claims for service connection for heart disability and PTSD, but additional development is needed before de novo review can occur.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to failure to comply with duty-to-assist requirements.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of April 3, 1992, for the grant of service connection for schizophrenia.

The Board found that new and material evidence had been received to reopen the appellant's claim, but denied entitlement to service connection for the cause of the veteran's death upon de novo review. The Board concluded that there was no competent medical evidence linking the veteran's fatal heart failure or schizophrenia to his military service.

The February 26, 1970 rating decision reducing the veteran's schizophrenia disability evaluation from 100% to 70% is found to contain clear and unmistakable error (CUE). The 100% rating is reinstated as of May 1, 1970.

The Board has determined that a VA examination is needed to determine the nature and etiology of the veteran's psychiatric disability, which may have been aggravated during his second period of active service. Additionally, the RO must obtain the veteran's service medical records from February 1997 to November 1997.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disability, including bipolar disorder, major depression, and schizotypal personality disorder, finding that while he had a pre-existing personality disorder, his current mental health conditions were not shown to be related to service.