Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2013

The Board found no evidence of a current diagnosis of PTSD and concluded that the Veteran's claimed acquired psychiatric disorder is not related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case for a Travel Board hearing due to the absence of the original hearing officer.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, claimed as PTSD, was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not establish a current diagnosis of PTSD or any other acquired psychiatric disorder related to active military service.,Service connection was granted for post-fracture status, left supraorbital ridge with headaches, and assigned a 40% rating effective from March 6, 2008. A separate 30% rating was granted for the Veteran's headache disability related to this condition, and a 10% rating was granted for loss of the left supraorbital sensory nerve secondary to the post-fracture status.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to incomplete records and further review of the Veteran's claims.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sickle cell disease has been reopened and is granted. He is also awarded secondary service connection for multiple conditions as secondary to his sickle cell disease, including right shoulder/arm disorder, hemorrhoids (blood in stool), fungal dermatitis, psychiatric disorder (depression), hypertension, diabetes mellitus, low back disorder, heart condition, eye disorders (glaucoma and blindness in the left eye), muscle and joint pain, erectile dysfunction, and alopecia. His rating for vertigo remains at 30 percent.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, is not related to his military service and specifically does not stem from a sexual assault during basic training.

The Veteran's appeals have been dismissed due to the appellant, through his authorized representative, requesting withdrawal of the appeals in July 2013.

Service connection for rheumatic fever and acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD, depression, anxiety, substance dependence, and bipolar disorder) was denied. Service connection for pseudofolliculitis barbae was granted with a 10 percent disability rating.,The Veteran's heart murmur is presumed to have existed before service.

The Board has determined that there is no current diagnosis of PTSD and insufficient evidence to establish service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD has been granted. The Board finds that the Veteran has a current diagnosis of PTSD and credible supporting evidence of an in-service stressor, thus meeting the criteria for service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals from shrapnel wound to the head, traumatic brain injury, and acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as mental health condition to include PTSD) due to lack of credible evidence supporting these conditions during active service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran is not competent to manage his VA benefits due to his mental health condition, specifically paranoid schizophrenia.

The Board finds that the Veteran's throat cancer and psychiatric disorder are not related to service, including exposure to herbicides or asbestos. The claim for an increased evaluation of lumbar spine disability is addressed in a separate remand.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining private treatment records and a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any current psychiatric disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran is now competent to manage his financial affairs, and therefore restored his competency status for VA benefit purposes.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current schizophrenia is etiologically related to his active duty service period, granting the claim for service connection.

The case is being remanded for additional development to address the etiology of the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder and the nature of his service-connected right knee disabilities. The TDIU claim will also be remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the other issues.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and providing an addendum to the April 2013 VA examiner's report. The appeal is now pending again.

The Board denied service connection for a drug sensitivity disability, finding that it was not incurred in or aggravated by active military service and is not related to the Veteran's service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for psychiatric disability, including PTSD, is being remanded due to the need to develop evidence regarding his claimed stressors and to consider the revised regulations concerning service connection for PTSD.