Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2007

The Board denied the veteran's claims for a compensable initial disability rating for bilateral hearing loss and service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including anxiety disorder. The evidence did not support the veteran's assertions of in-service stress or combat exposure.

The Board finds that the veteran's acquired psychotic disorder, including PTSD symptoms, was manifested to a degree of ten percent or more within one year of his date of separation from service and grants service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and VA treatment records. The veteran's claim to reopen a service connection claim is pending.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for frostbite of the left hand, back disability, and a psychiatric disability due to lack of evidence showing current disabilities or a causal link to military service.

The Board found no evidence to support the veteran's claims of service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depression, or recurrent pneumonia. The veteran's current psychiatric disorders are not linked to her military service.

The Board has determined that there is no medical evidence showing a left leg disability, and thus the veteran's claim of service connection for this condition is denied.

The veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death during the pendency of the case.

The Board denied the veteran's request to reopen his claim for service connection for a psychiatric disability, finding that the new evidence submitted was not material and did not show a link between his current condition and his military service.

The veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder involving schizophrenia and/or schizoaffective disorder is found to have been incurred in service.,There are no objective indicators of a chronic disability involving memory loss.

The Board denied service connection for schizophrenia and PTSD on the merits, but granted a 20 percent evaluation for diabetes mellitus. The claim for new and material evidence to reopen PTSD was also denied.

The veteran's single permanent disability (schizophrenic reaction) is rated at 100%. His other disabilities, when combined, are rated at 60%, which does not meet the requirement for special monthly pension based on need for regular aid and attendance or housebound rate.

The Board has determined that the appellant does not have verified periods of active duty or active duty for training (ACDUTRA) service, making her ineligible for service connection benefits for disability resulting from disease. As a result, the claim for service connection for residuals of a head injury and psychiatric disability (claimed as a nervous condition) is denied.

The veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including hypertension, degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, cervical spondylosis, osteoarthritis of the left knee, right hand disorder, left shoulder impingement, skin rash, diabetes mellitus, sarcoma, and bilateral peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities have been denied. The Board found no evidence to support these claims.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete information and evidence, including a need for service personnel records and VA treatment records. The veteran's claim of residuals from a head injury is being reviewed again, as well as her psychiatric disability.

The Board found that the evidence submitted after the September 1987 rating decision is not material and does not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate a claim for service connection for schizophrenia. Therefore, the application to reopen the claim was denied.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD, major depression, schizophrenia, agoraphobia, degenerative changes in the cervical spine, degenerative disc disease of the low back, right arm pain (major), left arm pain, and left shoulder pain. The evidence did not establish a link between these conditions and military service.

The Board has found that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the claim of service connection for schizophrenia. The veteran's psychiatric disability is now considered for de novo review.

The veteran seeks an earlier effective date for a disability rating in excess of 50 percent for her service-connected psychiatric disability. The Board dismissed the appeal as she did not raise this issue within the time frame required by law.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current psychiatric disorder related to service or a service-connected condition. The claim for service connection is denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a chronic acquired psychiatric disability or a cardiovascular disability that is related to his service. The claims for service connection are therefore denied.