Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2011

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of pneumonia and an acquired psychiatric disability (claimed as schizophrenia) due to lack of evidence showing a current disability or a relationship between any diagnosed condition and active service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to insufficient evidence on service connection claims, including hypertension and COPD, as well as an acquired psychiatric disability.

The Board denied reopening the Veteran's claim for service connection for schizophrenia, finding that new and material evidence had not been received to support the claim.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating or an earlier effective date.

The Veteran is seeking nonservice-connected pension benefits and service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder. The case is being remanded to obtain the Veteran's personnel file, updated treatment records, and a VA examination.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and review of records.

The Veteran's service-connected lower back disability is not manifested by unfavorable ankylosis of the entire thoracolumbar spine, unfavorable ankylosis of the entire spine, or intervertebral disc syndrome with incapacitating episodes having a total duration of at least six weeks during the past 12 months. Therefore, his claim for higher ratings was denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been previously denied, and the Board is remanding the case to determine if new and material evidence has been received to reopen these claims.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining medical records and providing an addendum to the VA examiner's opinion regarding his psychiatric disability. The issues of service connection for a psychiatric disability, hypertension as secondary to diabetes mellitus, type II, and hepatitis C are also being addressed.

The Board found that hypertension did not manifest in service or for many years thereafter and is not shown to be related to the Veteran's active duty service. The claim of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder was remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and a low back disorder, finding that the Veteran's conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder is being remanded due to the need for an examination to determine if his pre-existing condition worsened during active duty.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including scheduling a VA PTSD examination and obtaining any outstanding psychiatric records.

The Veteran seeks service connection for bipolar disorder, which is claimed as an acquired psychiatric disorder. The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional medical records and further development.

The Board found that the appellant did not have schizophrenia during his periods of active duty for training or inactive duty for training, and thus denied service connection.

The Board has determined that further development is needed to determine the nature and etiology of any current psychiatric disability, including whether it is related to service. The Veteran's claims for PTSD will be remanded for a VA examination.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for residuals of a head injury (including post-concussion syndrome and psychiatric disorder) and lumbosacral strain. The claim for residuals of a head injury is granted on the merits, while the claim for lumbosacral strain is remanded to obtain further examination and opinion regarding its etiology.

The Board found that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder was not incurred in or aggravated by his active service and is not secondary to a service-connected disability. The Board also denied the claim for an increased rating for his left epididymal cyst residuals, as there is no evidence of deep scarring, limitation of motion, or atrophy of both testes.

The Veteran's claim for service connection is being remanded due to the need for additional development regarding his exposure to Agent Orange and VA treatment records.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current psychiatric disorder, including recurrent major depression with psychotic features, was incurred as a result of his military service.