Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2010

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, and hypertension. The new evidence received since the last final denial relates to these conditions and raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating them.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for Bartter's Syndrome, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, a low back disability, and PTSD. The decision also addressed whether new and material evidence had been received to reopen the claim for Bartter's Syndrome.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining an opinion on whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen a claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD. The Veteran's claims for PTSD will also be considered.

The Veteran's claims for hypertension, an acquired psychiatric disability (claimed as depression), and diabetes mellitus are being remanded due to the need for additional development including obtaining his complete service personnel file, verifying in-service exposure to herbicides, and affording a VA examination.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims to reopen his service connection claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder and a back disorder. The claim to reopen for an acquired psychiatric disorder was denied because no new and material evidence had been submitted, and the claim to reopen for a back disorder was denied due to lack of in-service incurrence or aggravation.,The Board also found that there is insufficient medical evidence to support the Veteran's claim for service connection for a seizure disorder (claimed as due to head injury). The VA examiner could not find any military medical records supporting the Veteran's contention of a head injury.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including degenerative dementia with depression.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining medical records and an examination to determine the nature and probable etiology of any acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for blurred vision, shortness of breath, an acquired psychiatric disability, and a skin condition due to undiagnosed illness. The appeal is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including seeking verification of alleged stressors and obtaining updated VA treatment records. The psychiatric disability claim will be reconsidered to include other diagnosed conditions, and the hearing loss rating will consider whether valid audiometry scores can be obtained.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a chronic psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, paranoid schizophrenia, and major depression, were denied. The Board found that the Veteran does not have current diagnoses of these conditions and thus cannot establish service connection.

The Board has determined that further development is needed on both the service connection for a psychiatric disorder and hypertension, to include as secondary to a psychiatric disorder. The Veteran served in Kuwait and experienced symptoms such as insomnia and panic attacks after his service there. A VA examination is required to determine if these conditions are related to service or any other relevant factors.

The Board found that the Veteran's obesity was not caused by or related to his period of active military service. The issues regarding a back disorder, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including a stress disorder and dysthymic disorder), and sleep apnea are addressed in the REMAND portion of the decision.

The Board is remanding the case for additional development to obtain employment records and medical records from 1974-1978, as well as a supplemental statement of the case if necessary.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and medical opinions.

The Board found that the Veteran's psychiatric disorder did not onset in service and is not causally related to service. The claim for asthma was remanded due to incomplete rationale in the VA examination.

The Veteran's mental disorder is not found to be the result of VA care, and therefore compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for a mental disorder claimed as due to VA care has been denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for new and material evidence to reopen her previously denied claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability other than PTSD.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a neurological disorder and an acquired psychiatric disorder, both claimed as residuals of exposure to herbicides. The decision found no competent evidence of current neurological or psychiatric disorders.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depressive disorder. The underlying issues of service connection are addressed in the REMAND portion of this decision.

The Board found that the appellant's pre-existing schizophrenic disorder did not undergo a permanent increase in disability during her period of active duty for training (ACDUTRA). As such, service connection was denied.