Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2010

The Board has determined that additional evidentiary development is necessary prior to the adjudication of the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD. The case is REMANDED for a new VA psychiatric examination and obtaining any outstanding private treatment records.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining the Veteran's complete service treatment records and VA treatment records. The Veteran will also be scheduled for a VA psychiatric examination to determine if he meets the criteria for PTSD or any other diagnosed psychiatric disorder.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to procedural issues and the need for new VA examinations.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, left ear hearing loss disability, and liver disease (hepatitis C) are reopened. However, the evidence does not establish that these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for psychiatric disability claimed as PTSD is granted, with the presumption of exposure to combat-related stressors.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including an innocent acquired psychiatric disorder (to include depression and PTSD), headache disorder, gastrointestinal disorder, allergy, bilateral hearing loss disorder, and eye disorder are all denied as there is no credible evidence of a current disability or continuity of symptomatology. The Veteran specifically denied having hearing problems at the time of her discharge from service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his claims, including obtaining records related to in-service stressors and exposure to noise, as well as scheduling VA examinations for psychiatric conditions, hearing loss, tinnitus, and rib fractures.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including schizophrenia (previously diagnosed as dementia praecox), is causally related to service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to inconsistencies in the diagnosis of PTSD and the need for a detailed explanation regarding the Veteran's psychiatric diagnoses.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include schizophrenia and PTSD, as well as his claim for a higher rating for lumbosacral strain with degenerative joint disease and degenerative disc disease of the lumbosacral spine have been granted. The effective date for the 20% disability rating for lumbosacral strain is October 7, 1999.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 20 percent for type II diabetes and service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD and major depressive disorder. The decision also noted that the regulations pertaining to stressor verification have been liberalized, thus obviating the need for new and material evidence under 38 C.F.R. § 3.156(a).

The Board found that the appellant's back and psychiatric disabilities were not incurred or aggravated by service, and thus denied his claims.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining service treatment records and private medical records. The Veteran will also be provided with a VA examination to assess the severity of his hearing loss and determine if he is permanently and totally disabled.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to the need for a VA examination and further review of the medical records.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including shortness of breath and chest pain, a psychiatric disability, headaches, and knee disabilities are denied as there is no competent evidence of current diagnoses or a nexus to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were granted, with an initial rating of 10% for prostate cancer effective February 8, 2007. The claim for higher ratings for erectile dysfunction was denied.

The Veteran's posttraumatic stress disorder was granted service connection as it is related to his in-service experiences, including convoy attacks and exposure to hostile military activity.

The Veteran does not currently suffer from any diagnosed skull disability or residuals of a past injury to the skull. The Board finds no evidence supporting service connection for such disabilities.

The Board has ordered additional development due to the need for VA treatment records from October 3, 2006, to the present. The Veteran's claims for service connection are pending and will be reconsidered after these records have been obtained.