Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2009

The appeal was denied for service connection for chronic left wrist strain, and the Veteran's lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, right lower extremity decreased sensation, left lower extremity decreased sensation, and right wrist deQuervain's tenosynovitis were not found to warrant increased ratings.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for major depressive disorder was denied, while his initial rating for paranoid schizophrenia was increased to 30 percent.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder was reopened and granted based on new evidence that suggests the Veteran has an acquired psychiatric disorder etiologically related to his active service.

The Board granted service connection for a psychiatric disability, finding that the Veteran's pre-existing condition was aggravated by his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for schizophrenia and organic brain syndrome, finding that new and material evidence had not been received to reopen the claim of service connection for organic brain syndrome, and that there was no evidence linking either condition to active service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for initial compensable ratings and increased rating, as well as service connection for various conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for psychiatric disability, to include PTSD and residuals of head trauma, as there was no evidence showing that these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Board denied service connection for joint pain and bone spurs, hair loss, skin disability, gynecological disability, psychiatric disability (other than PTSD), impaired vision, bilateral knee disability, kidney disability, and chronic fatigue syndrome as there was no evidence of a chronic disability present in service or etiologically related to military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for paranoid schizophrenia as there was no evidence of a psychosis within one year of discharge and no medical evidence linking the condition to his military service.

The Board found that the evidence submitted since the February 2005 rating decision was not new and material, as it did not provide a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim for service connection for schizophrenia.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a psychiatric disability and substance abuse due to a psychiatric disability are being remanded for further development.

The claim to reopen service connection for a psychiatric disability, to include PTSD, was granted.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, based on new and material evidence that the Veteran's condition is related to his military service.

The Veteran's PTSD is service-connected due to combat exposure. The acquired psychiatric disorder is also service-connected as secondary to the service-connected PTSD. Epilepsy was not aggravated by service, and peripheral vascular disease and peripheral neuropathy were not incurred or aggravated in service.

The Board remands the claim for a psychiatric disorder to obtain an examination and opinion regarding the etiology of any current psychiatric disorders.

The appeal was remanded for additional development and readjudication of the claim to reopen service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, claimed as a nervous condition.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, to include bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and PTSD, as the evidence did not support a finding that any of these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by active duty or ADT.

The Board finds that service connection for schizophrenia is warranted as the condition was incurred in service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder, as well as his claim for a total rating based on individual unemployability.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric condition, to include PTSD, was granted service connection as it existed prior to service and was permanently aggravated by service.