Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2011

The Board finds that the Veteran's psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is not due to disease or injury incurred in service. The evidence does not support a finding of an in-service stressor and there is no medical opinion linking his current diagnoses to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as new and material evidence was not submitted, and the Board found no current diagnoses or relationships to active service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for schizophrenia was denied in a previous decision. New evidence received since then does not establish a link between the current condition and his military service, thus denying the reopening of the claim.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, is being remanded due to the need for clarification and additional evidence regarding his diagnoses and potential stressors.

The Board denied service connection for tinnitus, hearing loss, and an acquired psychiatric condition due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to the appellant's military service. Service connection was not granted for residuals of trauma to the left eye as there is no credible evidence that he sustained a facial injury during active duty.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for schizophrenia was denied as there is no evidence of a disability during service or within one year thereafter.,There is also no evidence of flat feet during service. The Board found that the current diagnosis of flat feet did not manifest until several years after discharge from service.

The Board has determined that a VA examination is needed to determine if the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is etiologically linked to his service-connected tinnitus. The appeal will be remanded for this purpose.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection due to missing VA treatment records and a need for an examination regarding PTSD.

The Board denied reopening of service connection for schizophrenia due to lack of new and material evidence showing the onset or relationship to service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional VA treatment records and provide proper VCAA notice. The claim for service connection will be reopened, but the Board will need to determine if new evidence supports reopening based on the provided information.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an innocently acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD based on personal assault and other conditions, was denied as there is no credible evidence of a continuity of symptomatology or in-service stressor.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeal for all issues, including service connection claims and a rating claim for migraine headaches.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a personality disorder is denied as it is not a compensable disability. The claims of increased ratings for the left femur fracture and duodenal ulcer are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for schizophrenia and depression is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining relevant records from his Army Reserve service and Social Security Administration (SSA) disability benefits file. A VA psychiatric examination will also be conducted.

The Board found no evidence of a diagnosed PTSD during service and concluded that the Veteran's current psychiatric condition, including depressive disorder, is not related to his military service.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine and acquired psychiatric disorder are at least as likely as not attributable to his military service, resolving all reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety and major depressive disorders, is found to be incurred in service. The Board also finds that the Veteran has an eye disorder but was unable to obtain sufficient evidence regarding its etiology due to lack of VA examination records.

The Veteran's variously diagnosed psychiatric disability has been granted a rating of 30 percent, effective November 21, 2008. The issue regarding the right lower extremity compression neuropathy remains pending.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for generalized osteoarthritis affecting multiple joints and a psychiatric disorder, to include depression as secondary to a service-connected back disability was denied. The claim for allergic reactions due to medications prescribed by the VAMC was also denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, other than PTSD, and whether new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen a claim for service connection for PTSD. The case is remanded for further development.