Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2006

The veteran's service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder necessitates the need for regular aid and attendance of another person, leading to a favorable decision for special monthly compensation.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and for separate initial schedular 10 percent ratings for bilateral tinnitus. The claim for service connection was based on a lack of medical evidence linking any current psychiatric disorders to service, while the claim for increased ratings for tinnitus was found to be without legal merit due to the existing regulations not allowing for separate ratings.

The veteran seeks service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, to include PTSD. The RO has not attempted to verify the stressors and a VA examination is needed to determine if he suffers from an acquired psychiatric disability related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to unresolved medical questions and a need for further examination.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination to determine if the veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's paranoid schizophrenia was not present within one year of his discharge from service and is not etiologically related to service. Therefore, the claim for service connection for paranoid schizophrenia is denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's paranoid type schizophrenia most nearly approximates the criteria for a 100 percent rating, effective May 9, 2001.

The Board found that the veteran does not have a current diagnosis of PTSD and denied service connection for both PTSD and dysthymia, concluding that the diagnoses were based on insufficient evidence.

The Board has granted an increased rating of 30 percent for the veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, effective from November 30, 2001. The claim for TDIU remains denied.

The Board has determined that an earlier effective date for a 100% rating for schizophrenia is denied as the evidence does not show that the severity of the condition increased to warrant such a rating prior to February 25, 2002.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, bilateral tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder. The claim for spasmodic torticollis was not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, other than post traumatic stress disorder.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate notice provided in prior rating decisions.

The Board found that the veteran's current psychiatric disorder did not have its onset in service, was not manifested to a compensable degree within one year following his discharge from service, and is not otherwise related to service. Therefore, the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder was denied.

The Board has determined that there is no competent evidence linking the veteran's claimed conditions to his active duty service, and therefore denied both claims for hepatitis C and a chronic acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board has determined that service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including post-traumatic stress disorder; a heart disability; a severe allergic reaction/syndrome; and an intestinal disability is not warranted based on the evidence of record.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claim of service connection for residuals of inservice medical testing, including x-ray exposure, cannot be reopened as there is no new and material evidence to support his claim.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for service connection for a low back disorder and an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding no evidence of a nexus between his current conditions and his military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected undifferentiated type schizophrenia substantially or materially contributed to his death from aspiration pneumonia in December 2003, and thus grants service connection for the cause of the veteran's death.

The veteran's chronic paranoid schizophrenia was incurred during service and the Board grants service connection for this condition.