Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2011

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for PTSD due to additional development being required, including obtaining a VA examination and considering evidence from sources other than service records.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and a new VA psychiatric opinion to assess whether there is a 50 percent probability or greater that any currently diagnosed psychiatric disorder is related to the Veteran's period of active military service.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD and depression, to include as secondary to nodulocystic acne, and for a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for nodulocystic acne have been remanded due to the need to obtain additional medical records and conduct further examinations.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and generalized anxiety disorder, is being remanded due to the need for additional development of his medical records.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a skin disorder, to include as due to herbicide exposure in Vietnam, is denied. The claim for an increased evaluation for the service-connected schizophrenic reaction is remanded.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss disability is found to be at least as likely as not causally related to noise exposure during service. The TDIU claim is remanded for further consideration.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development to verify the Veteran's claimed in-service stressors and to obtain updated medical records. The Veteran is also scheduled for a new psychiatric examination.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected bipolar disorder, history of schizophrenia was granted.,An effective date of May 22, 2007, was assigned for the award of a 30 percent disability rating for bipolar disorder, history of schizophrenia.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed head injury and acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board has granted a 60 percent disability rating for the service-connected chronic bronchitis from April 1, 2003. The Veteran's claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is also addressed in the REMAND portion of this decision and is REMANDED to the RO via the Appeals Management Center (AMC).

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for various conditions, including low back disability, right hip disabilities, right knee disability, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, sinus disability, left knee disability, acquired psychiatric disability (PTSD), and swollen neck glands. The evidence submitted since the previous denial was found not to be new and material.

The Veteran's service-connected schizophrenia has been rated at 30 percent, reflecting moderate symptoms including depression, irritability, mild memory impairment, and difficulty sleeping. This rating is appropriate given the Veteran's occasional decrease in work efficiency but with general satisfactory functioning.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, PTSD, and/or major depressive disorder, is being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board has granted initial ratings of 10 percent for the Veteran's right and left knee disabilities, effective July 25, 2005. The Board also found that service connection is warranted for these conditions on a secondary basis due to their relationship to his pre-existing knee disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal of a retroactive temporary total rating based on surgery for prostate cancer in June 2004 was dismissed due to the finality of the September 2005 rating decision. The claims for increased ratings for diabetes mellitus and erectile dysfunction, as well as reopening service connection for psychiatric disorder, are addressed.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is being remanded due to insufficient information provided regarding his claimed stressors and the need for further examination.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for the claim of service connection for colon cancer during a Travel Board hearing. The case is being remanded to consider the issue of service connection for psychiatric disability, claimed as PTSD.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for service connection for PTSD due to lack of credible evidence supporting his reported in-service stressors and current symptoms. The claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD is remanded, as are the hypertension claims.

The evidence does not support a finding that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including bipolar disorder and PTSD, is related to his active duty service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's schizophrenia does not meet or approximate the criteria for a compensable rating at any time during the appeal period, as his symptoms do not interfere with occupational and social functioning and he is not on medication.