Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2008

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a heart condition, pulmonary condition, and psychiatric disorder as there is no competent medical evidence linking these conditions to his period of active duty.

The Board has reviewed the claims for increased evaluations and service connection, but found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation or service connection in all cases. The appeals are therefore denied.

The Board found that the veteran does not have an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, which is related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to inadequate examination reports that did not address private medical opinions regarding the relationship of the veteran's psychiatric and cognitive disabilities to an in-service head injury.

The Board has determined that the veteran's paranoid schizophrenia is related to his active service and grants the claim for service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for paranoid schizophrenia, finding that there was clear and unmistakable evidence to show that the condition pre-existed service and had not been aggravated during active duty.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to incomplete medical opinions and missing Social Security Administration records.

The Board has granted a 70 percent evaluation for the veteran's service-connected paranoid schizophrenia, effective from the date of the decision. The veteran's condition is characterized by significant occupational and social impairment.

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

The veteran's schizophrenia, rated at 50 percent prior to November 7, 1996, and at 70 percent thereafter, is granted. Additionally, the veteran is granted a TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for paranoid schizophrenia and granted it. The veteran is also granted a 10 percent disability rating for this condition, effective from his date of discharge from active duty.

The veteran's appeal for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, other than PTSD, to include as secondary to his service-connected bilateral flat feet was dismissed due to the lack of a timely filed Substantive Appeal. The Board lacks jurisdiction over this issue.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence and further development is required, including obtaining records from various sources.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, peripheral neuropathy, and an acquired psychiatric disability (to include post-traumatic stress disorder), finding that there was no evidence of in-service exposure to herbicides or other conditions warranting presumptive service connection. The diagnoses were not related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for further development and examination, as they involve undiagnosed illness or other qualifying chronic disability.

The Board is considering whether new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the veteran's claim for service connection of schizophrenia. The issue is pending as some elements are found insufficient in the previous denial.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, a mental disorder (including depression), and bilateral knee disorders. The claim for service connection for a bilateral ankle disorder is also denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including rheumatic fever with heart murmur, ear disability, a left knee disorder, back disorder, shortened right leg, acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD), and lower extremity neuropathy. The decision found that these conditions were not incurred or aggravated by service.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not meet the diagnostic criteria for PTSD and there is no medical evidence or opinion suggesting a nexus between any diagnosed psychiatric disability (other than PTSD) and service. Therefore, service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability other than PTSD cannot be established.

The Board has determined that the issues are more accurately characterized as claims for service connection for a back injury, 'depression (previously claimed as dysthymia)', PTSD, and a right knee/leg injury. The case is REMANDED to the RO via the Appeals Management Center (AMC) in Washington, DC.