Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2009

The Board has determined that service connection is not warranted for either claimed heart disability or psychiatric disability.

The Veteran's psychiatric disorder, hemorrhoids, and thoracolumbar degenerative disc disease were all granted service connection. The initial evaluation for the thoracolumbar degenerative disc disease was increased to 20 percent.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection have been denied as new and material evidence was not submitted to reopen his right knee injury claim, and he does not meet the criteria for service connection for other conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and an increased disability rating for his low back disability were denied. The low back disability was rated as 10 percent disabling, with separate ratings of 10 percent each for neurological manifestations affecting the right and left lower extremities.

The Board denied the petition to reopen the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including schizophrenia and PTSD. The evidence submitted was not new or material.

The Board has reopened the claim for helpless child benefits due to new evidence showing that the Veteran's son was permanently incapable of self-support prior to reaching the age of 18, including from learning disabilities and psychiatric conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for service connection for PTSD due to a lack of current diagnosis. The claim is denied.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA psychiatric examination to determine if he has PTSD related to an in-service stressor. The appeal will be remanded for these actions.

The Veteran's service-connected residuals of a perforated left eardrum and bilateral hearing loss are not rated higher than noncompensable.,Service connection for hepatitis C, PTSD, and an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD is denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and possibly scheduling a VA examination. The issue of service connection for a psychiatric disability, to include PTSD, will be reconsidered.

The Board denied the claims for service connection and accrued benefits, as well as the claim for DIC benefits. The Veteran's death was not found to be due to a service-connected disability or VA medical treatment.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a videoconference hearing before a Veterans Law Judge.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for insomnia and a psychiatric disorder, as well as his claim for TDIU, are being remanded due to insufficient development of the record. He needs to undergo VA examinations to determine if these conditions are related to his service-connected tinnitus and hearing loss, and whether he is unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for a disability manifested by pain in the legs and arms, as well as an acquired psychiatric disability to include depression. The Veteran's claims were based on direct service connection rather than secondary or other theories.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including benign tumors of the colon, migraines, hearing loss, tinnitus, peripheral neuropathy, psychiatric disorders, and vascular diseases. The appeal was reopened on new evidence.

The Board found that the Veteran did not file a timely substantive appeal for his TDIU claim and denied it. For the period from August 5, 1966 to August 15, 1967, he was granted an initial evaluation of 10 percent for his acquired psychiatric disability. For the period from November 1, 1967 to the present, he is currently rated at 30 percent.

The Veteran's spouse is not in need of regular aid and attendance due to her various disabilities, as she can perform most self-care and activities of daily living with some assistance.

The Board denied the Veteran's request to restore service connection for schizophrenia, characterizing it as a direct service connection issue based on the evidence at the time.

The Veteran does not have a psychiatric disability that is related to her military service, except for manic depressive psychosis. The Board has characterized the issues on appeal as styled on the title page.

The Veteran seeks service connection for schizophrenia, which he claims developed as a result of head trauma sustained during his military service. The case is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and to schedule the Veteran for a VA examination to determine whether it is at least as likely as not that his acquired psychiatric disability had onset in service or was caused by his active service.