Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2008

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence and a need for further examination. The veteran's claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is pending.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection due to lack of evidence showing his acquired psychiatric disorder was incurred in or aggravated by service, and because hepatitis C is not a disease that can be presumed based on its latency period. The claim for hepatitis C was also denied as it resulted from the veteran's own willful misconduct.

The veteran's claim for increased evaluation of his service-connected discogenic disease of L5-S1 with lumbar strain was granted, and he is currently receiving a 20% evaluation since November 27, 2007. The issue regarding the psychiatric disorder has been reopened, but no new evidence has been provided to support reopening the claim.

The Board found that the veteran does not have a psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, which is etiologically related to active service. Therefore, service connection for a psychiatric disorder was denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and secondary service connection for hypertension, finding that new and material evidence was not submitted sufficient to reopen the previously-denied claim. The Board also determined that there is no medical nexus between the veteran's diagnosed hypertension and his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The veteran died in May 2003 and was not receiving VA compensation or pension benefits at the time of death. The appeal is denied as there are no criteria met for payment of a nonservice-connected burial benefit.

The Board has determined that the appellant's right upper extremity injuries sustained in November 1969 were incurred in the line of duty, and he is entitled to service connection for the residuals of a gunshot wound. However, there is insufficient evidence to establish service connection for his claimed psychiatric disorder.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and is granting it.

The Board found that the veteran's claimed acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is not related to his military service and denied the claim.

The Board has granted service connection for a mood disorder secondary to the veteran's service-connected low back disability, finding that extending the benefit of doubt in favor of the veteran is warranted.

The Board has ordered the case to be remanded for additional development and notification regarding new and material evidence.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and a VA psychiatric examination to determine if the veteran's current psychiatric disability is related to his service.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder due to new evidence. However, it denied both PTSD and the acquired psychiatric disorder claims as there is no credible evidence of in-service stressors or a nexus between current symptoms and service.

The Board has remanded the case for further examination and medical opinion regarding the etiology of any current psychiatric disorder, to determine if it is at least as likely as not that such disorder had its onset in service.

The Board found that there was no clear and unmistakable error in the November 1980 rating decision denying service connection for schizophrenia. The effective date of a 100% disability rating for bipolar affective disorder is set at April 16, 2000.

The veteran's claims for PTSD service connection were denied, and his headaches with tic douloureux symptoms (status-post head injury) were granted a 30% rating. His claim for Bell's Palsy was denied.

The veteran's claim for special monthly compensation based on the need for aid and attendance/housebound status is being remanded due to the need for clarification regarding his service-connected psychiatric disability.

The veteran's claim for service connection for paranoid schizophrenia was received on June 14, 1972. The effective date of this grant is set at the date of receipt of his claim.,The veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was received in August 1999 and granted with an effective date of August 16, 1999. He appealed this decision, seeking a prior effective date based on his contention that he should have been entitled to a 100% evaluation from June 1970 until January 1973.

The Board found that the veteran's current psychiatric disability was not incurred during service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for hepatitis C and denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability including posttraumatic stress disorder. The veteran's hepatitis C is considered to be related to his military service, specifically due to tattoos obtained during active service and unprotected sexual contact.