Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2007

The veteran's claims for service connection for a psychiatric disorder (depression) and PTSD were denied. The claim to reopen his PTSD was not granted due to lack of new and material evidence. His scars, shell fragment wounds, right forearm and wrist were rated as noncompensable. Service connection for restrictive lung disease prior to February 8, 1999, was also denied.

The veteran's PTSD has been found to cause significant impairment in his ability to work, warranting a higher initial evaluation of 30 percent. The schizophrenia is considered historical and under control.

The Board has granted service connection for a left knee disorder.,The veteran's claim of service connection for bilateral foot pain was denied in June 2002, but the evidence received since that decision is new and material, reopening his claim. The Board finds no evidence linking the current bilateral foot disorder to service.,Service connection has been granted for a chronic psychiatric disorder (schizophrenia).,The veteran's claims of service connection for headaches with vertigo, fainting, and blurred vision were not addressed in this decision.

The Board has granted a 100 percent rating for schizophrenia, but denied service connection for hypertension as secondary to diabetes mellitus. The earlier effective date claim is being remanded.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary in the current appeal, including obtaining SSA records and arranging for appropriate VA medical examinations. The claims will be re-adjudicated based on all evidence of record.

The Board denied the veteran's claim of service connection for PTSD, finding that his diagnosis was not supported by a corroborated stressor or any other evidence of record.

The Board has remanded the case due to issues regarding service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including a need for additional development and examination.

The Board has determined that the veteran's schizophrenia had its onset during active military service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary in the current appeal, including obtaining medical records and determining whether new evidence supports reopening claims for PTSD and a psychiatric disorder other than PTSD.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of the veteran's death, finding that tinnitus and psychiatric disorders were attributable to service. However, the medications prescribed for these conditions did not contribute substantially or materially to his death.,The claim under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 was also denied as there was no evidence showing that VA medical treatment with Xanax contributed to the veteran's death.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, chronic herpes zoster (shingles), and a chronic disability manifested by rash, nausea, irregular bowels, other gastrointestinal symptoms, weakness, respiratory problems, and/or fatigue, to include as due to an undiagnosed illness. The appeals were reopened on new evidence but the claims remained denied.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claims for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD. However, further development is needed to confirm whether all criteria set forth under 38 C.F.R. § 3.304(f) for service connection of PTSD have been met.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete records and need for further examination. The veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability will be reconsidered.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations and service connection were denied. The veteran is currently receiving a 10 percent evaluation for tinnitus, the maximum schedular evaluation assignable by law.

The Board has found new and material evidence sufficient to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder. The veteran's current dysthymic disorder is linked to his military service, raising a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.

The Board has ordered the VA to obtain terminal hospital records and seek an opinion on whether PTSD contributed to the veteran's death. The case is remanded for these actions.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder and a rating higher than 20 percent for his low back disorder. The Board found that there was no nexus linking the current conditions to military service.

The veteran is seeking an earlier effective date for his service-connected PTSD with paranoid schizophrenia. The case has been remanded to determine if there was clear and unmistakable error in a prior rating decision.

The veteran has withdrawn their appeal, resulting in the dismissal of the case.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and conducting a VA examination to determine if the veteran's current psychiatric disorder is related to her military service.