Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2009

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that the preponderance of evidence did not support a finding of service connection or entitlement to an increased rating for any condition.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and consideration, including obtaining additional medical records, clarifying the Veteran's claims, and scheduling examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to increased ratings for schizophrenia with PTSD and TDIU, as well as his request for an effective date prior to October 24, 2005 for service connection of PTSD. The decision found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for a higher rating or TDIU based on his psychiatric disability, and denied his claim for an earlier effective date.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a psychiatric disability has been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.

The Board is remanding the case to obtain Social Security Administration (SSA) decisions and medical records related to any benefits awarded for schizophrenia. The issue of whether new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen a claim for service connection for schizophrenia will be reconsidered.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for paranoid schizophrenia and major depressive disorder is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and a VA examination.

The Veteran's eye disorders and acquired psychiatric disorder were not incurred or aggravated by service. The Board found that the Veteran's refractive errors of the eyes are not disabilities for VA purposes, and his cataracts were first noted many years after separation from active duty.

The Board found that the Veteran's current psychiatric disability did not begin during service and was not caused by or aggravated by his military service, thus denying his claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining service treatment records and a VA psychiatric examination to determine if the Veteran's pre-existing schizophrenia was aggravated by service. The seizure disorder claim is inextricably intertwined with the schizophrenia claim.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, is being remanded due to the need for a medical examination and opinion regarding the etiology of his diagnosed mental disorders.

The Board found that the claimed disabilities, including diabetes mellitus, back conditions, groin injury residuals, right hip disability, and schizophrenia, were not incurred in or aggravated by service, nor may they be presumed to have been incurred as a result of service exposure to ionizing radiation.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for psychiatric disability, including posttraumatic stress disorder, has been dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for PTSD, a bilateral knee condition, and a back condition were denied. The Board found that there is no evidence establishing current diagnoses for these conditions.

The VA determined that the appellant's schizophrenic reaction is currently rated at 30 percent disabling, which is consistent with his symptoms and GAF scores.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and determining whether new evidence has been received to reopen previously denied claims.

The Board has granted service connection for schizophrenia.

The Board found no evidence of a current disability related to service, and thus denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for psychiatric disorder and asthma.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, is being remanded due to the need to verify his claimed stressors and provide a VA examination.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA outpatient treatment records from Tuscaloosa VAMC.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension, diverticulitis-colon hemorrhage (claimed as a lower abdominal condition), low back disorder, and psychiatric disorder did not manifest during or as a result of his military service. As such, service connection is denied for these conditions.