Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2011

The Board has once again remanded the case for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA psychiatric examination. The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, remains pending.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, classified as schizophrenia, was incurred in active service and is granted service connection.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is found to be secondary to his service-connected low back disability, and thus service connection for this condition is granted.

The Board has determined that a VA examination is needed to determine if the Veteran meets the criteria for PTSD and whether it is at least as likely as not related to his service or fear of hostile military activity. The claim will be remanded for this purpose.

The Board has determined that there is no current diagnosis of drug addiction or an acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression, related to service. The Veteran's claims for these conditions are denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome is causally related to his military service and granted service connection for this condition. The issue of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD and depression, remains pending as it was not addressed in the decision.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling an RO hearing. The appellant's claim of service connection for PTSD and major depressive disorder remains on appeal.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD based on the Veteran's in-service personal assault, and found that he did not have a current psychiatric disability as the result of a disease or injury in service.

The Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, is granted. The issue of a compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss remains pending.

The Veteran is granted special monthly pension based on the need for regular aid and attendance of another person, but not by reason of being housebound.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including providing proper VCAA notice and obtaining a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development of the evidence, including obtaining treatment records and scheduling examinations to determine the nature and etiology of any low back disability and psychiatric disorder. The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating will be readjudicated after all relevant information is obtained.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including scheduling a VA examination to determine the nature and likely etiology of any psychiatric disability, specifically schizophrenia. The Veteran's schizophrenia is being considered on its merits without involving service connection theory based on a presumption or new evidence.

The Board found that the Veteran's hearing loss did not begin during service or within one year of separation and is not shown by competent medical evidence to be causally related to service. The claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, claimed as PTSD, was also denied due to lack of credible evidence linking it to service.

The Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for additional psychiatric disability resulting from VA treatment is being remanded due to the submission of new evidence and arguments.

The Veteran's schizophrenia was initially granted service connection and rated at 50 percent disabling from April 17, 2003. The claim for a higher rating remains denied.,A subsequent increase to 70 percent disability evaluation was granted effective April 17, 2008. However, the Veteran's appeal for an even higher evaluation is still pending.

The case is being remanded due to the submission of additional pertinent medical evidence and an August 2009 VA Form 9. The benefits sought on appeal are not granted at this time.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for schizophrenia and found that new evidence supports a finding that his current psychiatric disorder is related to his period of active service. As a result, the claim is granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD) and a left inguinal hernia. The Veteran was not granted any new or material evidence to reopen his previously denied claim for service connection.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder as secondary to the service-connected lumbar spine disability. However, the evidence does not support a finding that the current psychiatric disorder is related to service or the service-connected condition.