Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2009

The Board has not determined whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claims for service connection for scoliosis and stenosis or arthritis of the lumbar spine with congenital shortening of the right leg, bronchitis and residuals of pneumonia, schizophrenic reaction, and spastic colitis. The evidence submitted since the last final denial does not relate to a material fact necessary to substantiate any of these claims.

The Board has determined that the Veteran is incompetent for VA purposes due to his mental illness, and thus denied the claim.

The Board has ordered the case back to the RO due to inadequate VCAA notice regarding the basis for the previous denial of service connection for schizophrenia.

The Board has remanded the case due to unresolved medical questions and missing records, including service treatment records that may contain information about mental health issues during service. The Veteran needs further examination by a VA physician who has not previously seen her.

The Veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of customary and usual charges for emergency treatment provided by McCain-Grady Emergency Medical Services and Norman Regional Hospital on July 18, 2004 is granted. The criteria for 'emergency treatment' were met as the services were rendered in a medical emergency where delay would have been hazardous to life or health.

The Board found no evidence of a right shoulder disability in service and denied the Veteran's claims for service connection.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and VA/Non-VA medical records.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for a psychiatric disability with headaches, finding that new evidence supports his claim. The previous denial was based on an initial diagnosis of personality disorder in service and no relationship to service.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that new and material evidence has been presented. The case will now be reviewed on its merits.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for paranoid schizophrenia and granted it, finding that new evidence submitted since the last denial raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.

The Board has dismissed the appeal for service connection for right ear hearing loss as it has been rendered moot by the grant of service connection in a prior decision. The claim for an initial compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss is also dismissed.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated medical records and a VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected schizophrenia.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD and depression, finding that there was no verified stressor event in service to support the claims. The Veteran's current psychiatric conditions are not related to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and the unavailability of his service treatment records.

The Board has remanded the case back to the RO for further consideration of the Veteran's claims, including the submission of additional evidence.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for PTSD, paranoid schizophrenia, left knee disability, and psychosis for treatment purposes. The decision found that new evidence did not support reopening of the PTSD claim.

The Board found no evidence to support the Veteran's claim of service connection for his current psychiatric disorder, and denied both his initial compensable rating claim for residuals of a left hernia repair and his extraschedular rating claim. The Veteran's residuals of a left hernia are currently rated as noncompensable.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of an injury to the left foot, residuals of an injury to the left hip, and a psychiatric disorder due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board found that credible evidence corroborated the Veteran's exposure to a stressor event during service, but there is conflicting medical evidence regarding whether he has PTSD. The claim for service connection for PTSD was denied as there is no diagnosis of PTSD on VA examinations and the conflicting opinions weigh against granting service connection. The claim for service connection for a psychiatric disability other than PTSD was also denied.

The Board has determined that the submitted evidence is not new and material, thus denying the reopening of the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder.