Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2011

The Veteran's service-connected conditions, including his acquired psychiatric disorder and status post left ventral hernia repair, are linked to his exposure to chemicals during Project SHAD. The Board has granted service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for reimbursement of private medical expenses is being remanded due to the need for additional development regarding whether a VA facility was feasibly available and when the Veteran could have been transferred.

The Board found no credible evidence supporting the Veteran's claimed stressor of falling overboard and having to be rescued, and concluded that his current psychiatric disorder is not related to his active service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining hospitalization records from Bryan Psychiatric Hospital and scheduling a VA examination to determine if the appellant's current psychiatric disorder is related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to inconsistencies in his appeals and unverified stressor allegations. The case will be returned to the RO/AMC for further action.

The Board found that the Veteran's schizophrenia and other acquired psychiatric conditions did not clearly and unmistakably pre-exist service, nor were they aggravated by service. The Board also determined that a personality disorder is not a disease or injury for compensation purposes.

The Board has determined that the appellant's claim for a waiver of recovery of an overpayment of pension benefits was denied as he did not file a timely application, and no new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen his claims.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining SSA disability benefits records and verifying the appellant's periods of active and inactive duty for training in the Louisiana Army National Guard. The appellant will also be scheduled for a VA psychiatric examination to determine if he currently suffers from PTSD related to his credible stressor(s).

The Board has found no evidence of a currently diagnosed bilateral hip disorder, and the Veteran's service treatment records do not show any such condition. The claim for service connection for a bilateral hip disorder is denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to scheduling conflicts. The issues of service connection for various conditions remain pending.

The Board found that the Veteran's current psychiatric disability was not incurred in or aggravated by active service and denied his claim.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is being remanded due to the need for a new examination and opinion regarding his claimed stressors and their relation to PTSD.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied. The Board found no evidence linking the claimed conditions to service or a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a bilateral knee disability and variously diagnosed psychiatric disability, to include PTSD, are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including schizophrenia and anxiety, is not related to his service. There was no injury or disease during service, nor did he experience chronic symptoms of an acquired psychiatric disorder in service. The current diagnosis of schizophrenia with anxiety was not first found until many years after discharge from service.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection and a 100% rating for schizophrenia have been dismissed due to the decisions becoming final.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including scheduling a VA examination to determine the etiology of the Veteran's major depressive disorder and readjudicating his claims. The effective date for compensation benefits for dependent parents is also being addressed.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a complete record and consideration of his TDIU claim, which may be impacted by the adjudication of his schizophrenia rating issue. The AMC must obtain all relevant VA treatment records from Memphis VAMC.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling examinations to determine the nature and etiology of any psychiatric disability and the current severity of the service-connected scar.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining service treatment records and verifying the Veteran's dates of active duty. The claims are currently in a state where further action is required.