Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2013

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly assess the Veteran's disabilities and their impact on his ability to work, as well as to determine if he meets the criteria for TDIU.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and evaluations, particularly regarding his service-connected left thigh shell fragment wound and any potential psychiatric disability. The case will be returned to the Board for further consideration.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that it is proximately due to or a result of the Veteran's service-connected cold injuries and Raynaud's disease. The issue of entitlement to TDIU is remanded pending further development.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling a VA psychiatric examination to determine if any diagnosed psychiatric disorder is related to active service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current psychiatric disabilities, including Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), are etiologically related to her military service and grants service connection for these conditions.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence to support a diagnosis of PTSD and the Veteran's current psychiatric disorder is not related to his military service. The claim for tendon damage of left hand fingers was denied as well.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining verification of in-service stressors and a VA examination to determine if the Veteran meets the criteria for PTSD or other psychiatric disorders.

The Veteran's appeals for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and increased rating for a deviated septum as a fracture residual are remanded. The appeal also includes claims for service connection for headaches and a psychiatric disorder, which have been referred to the RO.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for a psychiatric disability, which he claims was caused by his experiences in the military. The Board has ordered additional development to obtain personnel records and schedule a VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD and bipolar disorder, were denied. The claim of service connection for a disability manifested by tremors was also denied, but the RO found that new evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating this claim.

The Veteran's claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, is being remanded due to the need for additional development including obtaining service personnel records and a VA examination.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to his failure to appear for a previously scheduled Board hearing. He has requested another hearing and good cause has been established.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for an increased rating for degenerative disc disease of the lumbosacral spine and service connection for PTSD, hypertension, peptic ulcer disease, and hepatitis C.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining a VA addendum opinion and providing VCAA notice regarding secondary service connection.

The Board found that the Veteran's paranoid schizophrenia is not related to service and denied his claim.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a psychiatric disability due to inconsistencies in his statements and military records, as well as potential exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. The Veteran will be provided an opportunity for a VA examination to determine if any of his psychiatric disabilities are related to or had their onset during service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran withdrew his appeal for an increased initial rating for diabetes mellitus. The claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder was denied as there is no medical evidence showing a causal link between the Veteran's current psychiatric disability and any in-service disease or injury.

The Board finds that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for service connection of PTSD. The VA examiner concluded that the Veteran did not meet at least two of the DSM-IV criteria for a diagnosis of PTSD and instead diagnosed him with anxiety disorder, NOS. The Veteran's symptoms are more consistent with his post-service period.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD, paranoid schizophrenia, and major depressive disorder, are related to his service. As such, the claim for service connection is granted.

The Veteran's appeals have been dismissed due to his death. The Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of these claims.