Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2011

The Veteran's thoracolumbar spinal disability is rated at 40 percent since April 2, 2008. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a higher rating for this condition.

The Board has determined that another attempt is needed to obtain the Veteran's complete service personnel records, including information about his military assignments and court martial trial. The VA treatment records are also requested for review.

The Board has determined that the appellant did not serve in Vietnam and there is no evidence of exposure to herbicide agents such as Agent Orange. The Board also found that his claimed conditions were not present during service or for many years thereafter, and are not related to his active service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining a dose estimate based on available methodologies and preparing a medical opinion regarding the Veteran's claims of service connection for thyroid disorder, degenerative bone disease, and psychiatric disorder due to exposure to ionizing radiation.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including a VA psychiatric examination and opinion. The Veteran's claim of service connection for schizophrenia will be reconsidered after this additional development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current disability for which service connection can be granted, as her hearing loss and acquired psychiatric disabilities are not related to military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder has been reopened. However, the claim for a left shoulder disorder remains denied.

The Board has denied the Veteran's application to reopen his claim for service connection for schizophrenia, finding that no new and material evidence has been received since the March 2000 denial.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim for service connection is not clear and convincing evidence, as required by the new PTSD regulations. The case is therefore REMANDED to obtain updated VA treatment records, conduct a psychiatric examination, and provide an opinion on the etiology of any diagnosed psychiatric disorder(s).

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims due to incomplete service records and need for further development, including verification of dates of active duty and National Guard service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and effective dates have been granted. Effective dates prior to July 2, 2008, are established for the peripheral neuropathy of his upper and lower extremities.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right leg disorder and an acquired psychiatric disorder. The claim of entitlement to nonservice-connected pension benefits was also denied as he did not have qualifying wartime service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims in 1984 and again in 1989. New evidence submitted since then does not relate to the merits of these claims.

The Board found no evidence of a current psychiatric disability and concluded that the Appellant's low back disability is not related to service. The claims for both conditions were denied.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining neuropsychological testing records and requesting an opinion from a VA psychiatrist regarding the Veteran's claimed psychiatric condition. The decision is pending further review.

The Board denied service connection for anemia and for an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that there was no current disability related to these conditions at the time of the claim. The Veteran's anemia resolved prior to her filing of the claim, and she did not have a current diagnosis of an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for an organic mental disorder, dizziness, blackouts and/or impaired concentration due to new and material evidence. The scar of the scalp, residual of a head injury, remains denied.

The Board has determined that a kidney disability was not incurred in or aggravated by active service and its incurrence or aggravation during such service may not be presumed. The Veteran's psychiatric disability (PTSD) is also denied as there is no evidence of an in-service stressor.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including bipolar disorder. The decision was based on the lack of evidence linking the condition to his military service. The new and material evidence received did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including psychiatric disorders, sleep disorder, headaches, breathing problems (asthma), bilateral shoulder disabilities, ankle disabilities, and knee disabilities, all of which were claimed as due to Persian Gulf War undiagnosed illness. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by service.