Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2007

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for further medical examination and opinion regarding the relationship between the veteran's current psychiatric disorders and his in-service symptoms.

The Board has remanded the case for further examination and opinion regarding the veteran's schizophrenia, including whether it is related to military service or aggravated by in-service head trauma and sexual assault.

The Board found that the veteran does not have a current psychiatric disability and there is no credible evidence linking any diagnosed disorder to service. The claim for service connection was denied.

The veteran's application for Service Disabled Veterans' (RH) Insurance and waiver of premiums under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1912(a) was denied due to her non-service-connected mental disorder, heart murmur, and history of alcoholism.

The Board found no evidence to support the veteran's claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including schizophrenia. The Board concluded that the claimed condition is not related to active service.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding no competent evidence of a superimposed psychiatric disorder related to service.

The veteran's service connection claims for a testicle strain, an upper stomach condition, joint pain, and myopia were denied. However, he was granted service connection for his right elbow condition and established service connection for his acquired psychiatric disorder (depression and insomnia).

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder and granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, but assigned a noncompensable evaluation. The issue of service connection for a psychiatric disorder is addressed in the REMAND portion of the decision.

The Board found that the veteran's current psychiatric disability, including psychosis, schizophrenia, depression, and obsessive compulsive disorder, was not incurred in or related to his active service. The claim for TDIU was also denied as there were no service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling examinations to determine if the veteran's psychiatric and back disorders are related to his service-connected foot disabilities.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete information and need for further development, including verification of stressors and examination.

The veteran's coronary artery disease is rated at 100 percent, and his hypertension is rated at 10 percent. The veteran's depressive disorder is rated at 50 percent since September 18, 2006, and he has a 10 percent rating for GERD with diarrhea.

The Board found that the veteran's acquired mental disorders did not originate in service or within one year thereafter, and are not related to any incident of service. Therefore, the claim for service connection was denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral pes planus with degenerative joint disease of the feet, and an acquired psychiatric disorder. The claim for increased rating for sinusitis was also denied.

The veteran's disability compensation benefits were reduced to a 10% evaluation effective November 1, 1998 due to incarceration for a felony conviction. The reduction was proper as the veteran did not dispute his incarceration and the evidence showed he was incarcerated from September 1, 1998.

The VA treatment from November 2002 to June 2003 did not result in additional disability, and the Board finds no fault on the part of VA. The veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 is denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for osteoporosis and psychiatric disability, as well as his attempts to reopen previously denied claims of compensation under 38 U.S.C. ¶ 1151 for lumbosacral and cervical spine disabilities.

The Board has determined that the veteran's currently diagnosed psychiatric disorder of major depressive disorder with anxiety features is related to her in-service sexual assaults and has granted service connection for this condition.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining mental health clinical records and a VA examination to determine the etiology of her schizophrenia.

The veteran's knee, hip, ankle, and foot disabilities are not service-connected. The Board denied the claims of service connection for left shoulder disability due to lack of evidence.