Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2009

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for reopening service connection for arthritis of the hands, chronic upper and lower back pains with degenerative changes, and an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD. The decision also addressed claims for service connection for arthritis and bursitis of the hips and knees.

The Board has granted service connection for a chronic acquired psychiatric disorder and assigned an initial rating of 50 percent, effective December 4, 1995. The Veteran's claim was reopened based on new evidence received in November 1995.

The Board found that the Veteran's schizophrenia did not have its onset during service and is not related to his active service, including a period of active duty for training in the United States Army Reserves. Therefore, the claim for service connection was denied.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim to reopen his service connection for a low back disability, finding that new and material evidence was submitted.,The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding his psychiatric disorder claim prior to its consideration by the Board.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder in April 2004. The Veteran submitted additional evidence, including VA and private treatment records, but this evidence was not considered new and material as it did not address the reasons for the previous denial or relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate his claim.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of left upper extremity frostbite, right upper extremity frostbite, left lower extremity frostbite, and right lower extremity frostbite. The Veteran also had a claim for headaches and anxiety neurosis (claimed as an anxiety disorder), but these were not granted either.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and has reopened the claim for a gastrointestinal disorder, finding that both conditions are related to the Veteran's service-connected psychiatric disorder.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, skin disability, PTSD, acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, diabetes mellitus, lung disability, right knee disability, gallbladder disability, drug addiction, and cardiovascular disability. The appeals were not addressed on the merits of these claims.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current psychiatric disorder that manifested during or was aggravated by his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for a right wrist disorder but denied secondary service connection for a psychiatric disorder.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim to reopen his service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, based on new and material evidence.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine if the Veteran's cause of death, cardiac arrest and myocardial infarction, was related to his service-connected schizophrenia or other conditions. The case is being remanded for a VA medical opinion.

The Board finds that the Veteran does not have a current acquired psychiatric disorder, and thus service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is denied. For his hypertension claim, the preponderance of evidence is against finding a direct relationship to service-connected diabetes.

The Board has remanded the case for a video-conference hearing before a Member of the Board of Veterans' Appeals due to the Veteran's request.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a lower left leg contusion/hematuria with incision and drainage was denied. The RO also denied his petition to reopen the claim for service connection for residuals of a head injury, finding that new and material evidence had not been received. Service connection for psychiatric disorders, including schizoaffective and bipolar disorders, is pending.

The Board has determined that there is a need to obtain additional evidence and review the claim for service connection of schizophrenia, including SSA records and representation argument.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for schizophrenia was denied as there is no legal basis to award such a date.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, a skin condition, erectile dysfunction secondary to paranoid schizophrenia, gastrointestinal disorder secondary to paranoid schizophrenia, and an evaluation in excess of 50 percent for paranoid schizophrenia. The claim for TDIU was also denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as there is no evidence of a chronic back disability, gastrointestinal disorder, psychiatric disorder, right upper extremity disability or disabilities of either lower extremity during service or within the presumptive period.

The Board has remanded the case for further proceedings due to conflicting evidence regarding whether the Veteran's respiratory disability is caused by his service-connected acquired psychiatric disability. The Veteran also needs a VA examination to evaluate his acquired psychiatric disability and determine its current severity.