Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2012

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, as it was incurred due to various stressors during the Veteran's active duty combat service in Korea.

The Board found no evidence of a diagnosed psychiatric disorder, and concluded that the Veteran's claimed stressors did not support a diagnosis of PTSD. The VA examination report also indicated that there was no causal link between any currently diagnosed psychiatric disorder and service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a new VA examination to determine the causation or etiology of the Veteran's current psychiatric disorder(s).

The Board has granted service connection for schizophrenia, finding a continuity of symptoms from active service to the present. The head injury residuals and seizure disorder issues remain pending as remanded.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including eye/vision disability, skin disability, schizophrenia, cervical spine disability, chronic rhinitis, degenerative joint disease (including osteoarthritis of the spine), peripheral neuropathy, and hypertension. The decision is mixed as some issues have been granted while others remain pending.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for lumbosacral strain prior to February 1, 2005 was granted. His initial claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including paranoid schizophrenia, depression, and social anxiety, was reopened due to the submission of new evidence. The Veteran is now rated at 20 percent for residuals of left knee injury.

The Board found that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for a diagnosis of PTSD and that a psychiatric disability was not manifested in service. The preponderance of evidence is against a finding that any currently diagnosed psychiatric disability is related to the Veteran's service.

The Board found that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including paranoid schizophrenia, did not have its onset during active service and is not otherwise related to his military service. The preponderance of evidence does not support a finding in favor of service connection.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension as secondary to diabetes mellitus, type II and for an acquired psychiatric disorder. The Veteran's hypertension was found to be related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, but the acquired psychiatric disorder is not linked to his active service.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and providing proper VCAA notice.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD is being remanded due to the need for additional evidence and a VA examination.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability due to new and material evidence. The case is remanded for a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his psychiatric disability.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of left hip stress fracture is granted. The issue of service connection for psychiatric disability, to include PTSD, is remanded.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence sufficient to reopen the previously denied claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, has been received. The Veteran's claims are now considered on their merits.

The Board has remanded the case for several reasons, including obtaining missing service treatment records and private medical records. The Veteran's claims are related to his anxiety disorder and other psychiatric conditions.

The Board has denied the reopening of the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that no new and material evidence was submitted to support the claim.

The Veteran does not have a diagnosed psychiatric disorder, including PTSD. The Board finds that the criteria for service connection are not met.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining additional VA treatment records and scheduling a new examination. The TDIU claim is part of the increased rating claim.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for schizophrenia or another acquired psychiatric disorder excluding PTSD and a stomach ulcer, finding that new and material evidence had not been received. The RO previously denied these claims in February 1962.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including scheduling VA examinations and obtaining updated medical records. The issues of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD) and peptic ulcer disease/reflux disorder are under review.