Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2008

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, and a left testicle hydrocele due to lack of evidence supporting these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by active military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected psychiatric disability warrants a 100 percent schedular rating due to total occupational and social impairment.

The Board is remanding the case for additional development and consideration of whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen a claim of service connection for a psychiatric disorder.

The Board found that the veteran does not have any of the claimed mental disorders (depression, bipolar disorder, schizoaffective disorder, paranoid schizophrenia, or attention deficit disorder) that are related to her military service.

The Board has granted an effective date of December 17, 1998 for the award of a 70 percent evaluation for the service-connected psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD and schizophrenia.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current psychiatric disorder and therefore, service connection for this condition is denied.

The RO is remanding the case for further development, including scheduling a VA examination and obtaining Social Security Administration records. The veteran's service connection claim for a psychiatric disorder secondary to hepatitis C will be reconsidered.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and the need for a VA examination. The veteran's claim for service connection for paranoid schizophrenia is on appeal.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and SSA disability benefits records. The veteran's claims will be readjudicated after these actions.

The veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 100% disability evaluation for schizophrenia is denied as the March 2000 rating decision became final and there was no legal basis to reopen it.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for an earlier effective date and a compensable evaluation for his service-connected conditions. The veteran was granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder in March 2005, but the effective date is set at November 13, 1995. For his basal cell carcinoma of the left eyebrow, left medial canthus, and frontalium of the nose, the Board found that a non-compensable rating was appropriate based on the current status of his scars.

The Board has determined that the veteran's psychiatric disorder, classified as schizophrenia, warrants a 100 percent rating from initial entitlement due to severe impairment of social and industrial adaptability.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional medical examinations and opinions regarding the veteran's psychiatric disorder, rectal disorder, and hepatitis C. The claims will be reconsidered based on the new evidence.

The veteran's nonservice-connected disabilities do not combine to meet the criteria for a permanent and total disability rating for pension purposes.

The Board found that the appellant's character of discharge was under dishonorable conditions due to frequent periods of being absent without leave (AWOL) and other offenses, which acted as a bar to VA compensation benefits.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and major depression, finding that there was no evidence of a current disability or persistent symptoms. The VA treatment records did not support the presence of these conditions after discharge from service.

The veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including brief reactive psychosis, bipolar disorder, paranoid schizophrenia, mental retardation, and schizotypal personality disorder is being remanded due to incomplete records and the need for further examination.

The veteran's claims for effective dates earlier than August 31, 2001 were denied as the earliest date on which entitlement to special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance arose was August 31, 2001. The claim for brain damage under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 was also denied.

The Board denied the veteran's earlier effective date claim for a 30 percent rating for service-connected sinusitis, finding that the evidence did not support an earlier effective date.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, diabetes mellitus, type II, and a stomach disorder. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by service.