Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2010

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for further development, including obtaining a VA medical examination and opinion regarding his claimed psychiatric disorders. The issues of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD) and entitlement to TDIU are also being remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, identified as a chronic adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depression, had its onset during active duty service. Therefore, the appeal is granted.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining records from the U.S. Army Crime Center and a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability and organic brain syndrome are related to service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and medical records from private providers. The appellant's claim of service connection for a psychiatric disorder remains in dispute, as does his nonservice-connected pension benefits claim.

The Board has granted service connection for migraine headaches due to aggravation during the Veteran's second period of active duty. The claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depression, is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a psychiatric disability (to include PTSD), right knee disability, back disability, and bilateral foot disability have all been denied. The Board found that there was no evidence of a diagnosed psychiatric condition other than anxiety disorder, which is not related to service. Service connection for PTSD could not be established due to lack of credible supporting evidence of the claimed in-service stressor.

The Veteran's claims to reopen his service connection for PTSD and an acquired psychiatric disorder to include schizophrenia were denied as the evidence received since the previous denial did not relate to unestablished facts necessary to substantiate these claims.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for PTSD based on receipt of new and material evidence. However, the Veteran does not have a valid diagnosis of PTSD based upon a corroborated in-service stressor, and there is no evidence to support a finding that an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD was incurred in or aggravated by active service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is related to his military service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran is over 65 years of age and has a combined rating of 80 percent due to non-service connected disabilities, meeting the requirements for SMP at the housebound rate.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including verification of in-service stressors and a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's PTSD is related to service.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder, not otherwise specified, is related to his active military service and granted. Service connection for PTSD was denied as there is no current diagnosis of PTSD.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is established as service-connected. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been rated at zero percent since June 2003, and no higher rating is warranted.

The Veteran's claimed in-service stressful experience was corroborated, but there is no diagnosis of PTSD or other psychiatric disorder related to service. The Board denied the claim as the evidence did not establish a nexus between any current acquired psychiatric disorder and service.

The Board denied the claims for service connection for psychiatric disorder, neck disorder, low back disorder, waist disorder, and bilateral leg disorder due to a lack of evidence showing these conditions were incurred during active duty.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for schizophrenia, undifferentiated type and granted it on a presumptive basis as the condition is presumed to have been incurred in service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for service connection for psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depression. The evidence is insufficient to establish a link between any current psychiatric condition and service. Service connection was also denied for left foot and toes disability, low back disorder, and multiple sclerosis.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a mental disorders examination and medical nexus opinion by a psychiatrist. The Veteran's claim will be readjudicated after this additional development.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board found that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder did not originate in service and denied his claim.