Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2007

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including knee disability, foot disability, headaches, constipation, and psychiatric disorder, all secondary to his service-connected intervertebral disc syndrome status post discectomy.

The veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, and a stomach disorder were all denied as there is no current diagnosis of these conditions in the medical records.

The veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional examinations and consideration of new evidence. The issues include service connection for schizophrenia, increased evaluations for pes planus of both feet, and an increased evaluation for hypertension.

The Board has determined that service connection for a psychiatric disorder is not warranted, as there is no evidence of such disability being manifested in service or within one year post-service. The veteran's current psychiatric disorders are not linked to her military service.

The Board has determined that the appellant's schizophrenia was incurred in active duty and granted service connection for this condition. The issue of whether bipolar disorder is related to service or service-connected schizophrenia remains pending.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have PTSD, and his acquired psychiatric disorders and hearing loss were not incurred in or aggravated by service. The claims are therefore denied.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to failure in obtaining pertinent evidence from SSA.

The Board found that there was no evidence of a psychiatric disorder during service or within one year after discharge, and thus denied the veteran's claim for service connection for schizophrenia.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depression. However, it was determined that new evidence did not establish a direct link to service or any other basis for service connection.

The veteran's skull fracture or loss was not incurred in service, and his psychiatric disability is denied as secondary to head trauma. The TDIU claim remains pending.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of the veteran's death, finding that his schizophrenia or medication did not contribute to his fatal automobile accident.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an increased evaluation for his right knee disability and service connection for a psychiatric disability. The right knee disability is currently rated as 20 percent disabling, while no psychiatric disability has been found to be related to service or service-connected conditions.

The VA denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a lung condition, as there is no current evidence of a lung disability. The other conditions were found to be related to service.

The veteran's schizophrenia was found to have manifested during service or within one year of separation, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The veteran is seeking service connection for sleep apnea that she claims is secondary to her service-connected schizophrenia. The Board has determined that the current VA examination report is inadequate and requires further development, including obtaining additional medical records and scheduling a new VA examination.

The veteran's claim for service connection for her psychiatric disorder, including depression, is being remanded due to the need to locate missing records and obtain a VA examination.

The Board found that the veteran's multiple substance abuse is not proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected innocently acquired psychiatric disorder, and thus denied both claims.

The Board found that the veteran's pre-existing psychiatric disabilities existed prior to service and did not show an increase in severity during service, thus denying his claim for service connection.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for further examination and evaluation to determine the relationship between his claimed mental disorders and the craniotomy performed in service.

The Board found that the veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is not etiologically related to her service-connected right knee disability.