Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2011

The Veteran's PTSD is found to be related to his military service, and he is granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD. The lumbar spine disability is not linked to his military service.

The Veteran's compensation benefits for schizophrenia were suspended in September 1972 due to his failure to attend a VA examination. The claim to reinstate the benefits was received on May 30, 2008, and the Board denied the request for an effective date prior to that date.

The Board is considering whether new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the claims for service connection for incomplete optic atrophy of the left eye and a psychiatric disorder. The Veteran's claim for incomplete optic atrophy of the left eye was previously denied in March 2003, but no new and material evidence has been provided since then.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including obtaining VA and private medical records, and affording the Veteran another opportunity to provide information and/or evidence pertinent to his claim.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded to the RO for further development of evidence, including a VA psychiatric examination and obtaining all outstanding records from the Nashville VAMC. The claim will be adjudicated in light of all pertinent evidence and legal authority.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current psychiatric disability and therefore, service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is denied.

The Board has granted service connection for right knee anterior cruciate ligament and medial and lateral meniscus tears, chondromalacia, and arthritis; lumbosacral strain/strain and disc protrusion; and paranoid schizophrenia.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, characterized as an adjustment disorder with anxiety and depression, is found to have its origin during service.,Service-connected chondromalacia of the right knee with traumatic arthritis currently meets criteria for a 10 percent evaluation. However, there is no evidence of instability, subluxation, locking, incoordination, weakened movement, or excess fatigability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and individual unemployability are being remanded due to the need for a Travel Board Hearing.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Veteran's schizophrenia has been rated at 30 percent since July 1970, with no changes in rating during the appeal period. The current rating is appropriate given the symptoms and Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) score.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, vertigo, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD) have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a grant of service connection for these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to inadequate VA examinations and other procedural issues.

The Board found that there is no competent or credible evidence of a psychiatric disorder, to include schizophrenia, during service or within one year following service; or that the appellant presently has a psychiatric disorder that is causally or etiologically related to service. As such, the claim for service connection was denied.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and determining whether they contain new and material evidence to reopen the claim of service connection for PTSD.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Board found no credible or competent evidence of any in-service events, injuries, or diseases that could be linked to the current conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bunions with intractable plantar karatoma of the right and left foot was reopened, granted, and assigned a 10% evaluation effective January 21, 2005. The issue of entitlement to an earlier effective date remains pending.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, concluding that new and material evidence had not been presented. The Veteran was informed of this decision but did not appeal.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for GERD and an acquired psychiatric disorder were denied. The Board found that the NOD for GERD was not timely filed, and new and material evidence had not been received to reopen the claim of service connection for GERD.

The Board has remanded the case for further medical examination and opinion regarding whether the Appellant's current psychiatric disorders are related to her service or Reserve service. The appeal is pending as a result of the need for additional evidence.