Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2011

The Veteran's current acquired psychiatric condition, including depression, is considered to have clearly and unmistakably preexisted service and was aggravated by service.

The Board found that the Veteran failed to report for a VA examination and there is insufficient evidence to establish that she currently suffers from a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Board found that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, claimed as major depressive disorder, was not incurred in or aggravated by military service and is not proximately due to or the result of his service-connected bilateral pes planus. The right ankle disability was also not shown to be related to service.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be incurred in service, and his acquired psychiatric disorder is not shown to be related to service or any service-connected condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including a bilateral knee disability, impaired memory (claimed as Alzheimer's disease), syphilis, liver disorder (claimed as hepatitis), and paranoid schizophrenia, all of which were alleged to be related to Agent Orange exposure.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for schizophrenia, an acquired psychiatric disability (including major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder), and entitlement to a TDIU. The denial was based on lack of new and material evidence for schizophrenia and the absence of a causal relationship between the claimed conditions and service or service-connected disabilities.

The Board found that the Veteran's schizophrenia was not incurred in or aggravated by active service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, a skin disability, a back disability, and COPD was denied. The Board found no evidence of such conditions in service or related to service.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension. The Veteran does not have a current neurological disability of the upper extremities, nor is there any competent medical evidence linking his hypertension to his service-connected diabetes mellitus or undifferentiated schizophrenia reaction.

The Veteran's appeal of the denial of his claim for service connection for schizophrenia has been remanded due to a scheduling issue. The case will be returned to the RO for rescheduling a hearing.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and providing proper VCAA notice.

The Veteran's hypertension and acquired psychiatric disability were not incurred in or aggravated by active service.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for PTSD was denied as there is no competent evidence of a current diagnosis. The Board found that the Veteran did not have PTSD and thus, his claim cannot be granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining pre-service treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to determine if any current psychiatric disorder is related to service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was granted, linking the diagnosis to an in-service stressor involving fear of hostile military activity in Vietnam.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Board found that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen the left knee disability claim, and that there was no evidence of a current low back or hearing loss disability. Tinnitus and PTSD were also denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records from the Social Security Administration and scheduling VA examinations to assess his skin disorder and acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, is denied as there is no current diagnosis of such a condition.

The Veteran's overpayment of VA compensation benefits was not properly created due to administrative error on the part of the RO, and thus the debt is invalid.

The Board has granted service connection for mycosis fungoides, finding that the Veteran's skin disorder is likely due to his period of active service. The claim of service connection for PTSD and other psychiatric disorders remains pending.