Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2013

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and providing an addendum opinion regarding whether his cognitive disorder was aggravated by any of his diagnosed psychiatric disabilities at or after the 2009 closed head trauma with resulting subdural hematoma.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD and other acquired mental disorders was denied as there is no evidence of a current disability related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a Travel Board hearing. The claim of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder remains pending.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination.

The claim for service connection for residuals of a head injury was denied in April 1983 due to lack of evidence. The claim for schizophrenia, paranoid type, was previously denied. No new and material evidence has been received since the previous denials.

The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for the grant of a 100 percent rating for service-connected schizophrenia is dismissed because he did not file a clear and unmistakable error claim with regard to the final August 1999 Board decision.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied. The Board found that her psychiatric disability warranted a 50% rating from July 1, 2002 to December 15, 2004 and since December 16, 2004, the criteria for an initial evaluation in excess of 30 percent have not been met. Her menorrhagia with anemia was rated as noncompensable from September 24, 2004 to March 24, 2008 and since March 25, 2008, the criteria for an initial compensable evaluation have not been met.

The Veteran's joint pains of the right hip, diagnosed as right hip greater trochanteric bursitis, is related to her period of military service and has been granted service connection.

The Board found that the Veteran's current acquired psychiatric disorder is not related to his military service, specifically his in-service diagnosis of schizoid personality disorder. The Board also noted that there is no evidence of a headache condition during or after service.

The Board has granted service connection for a cervical spine disorder and psychiatric disorder as secondary to disorders of the low back and cervical spine. The Veteran's claims were previously denied, but new evidence was submitted that supports these conditions.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for an innocently acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD and bipolar disorder. The case is being remanded to obtain clarification on representation, as well as VA examinations to determine the nature and likely etiology of any current psychiatric disorder.

The Board denied a 100 percent rating for schizophrenia, but granted a 70 percent rating. The Veteran's motion alleging clear and unmistakable error in this decision was denied.

The Board determined that the Veteran's current cervical spine disorder is not related to his military service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his military service. Service connection was also granted for an acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD), but with the condition being presumed to have existed prior to service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to consider his service connection claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and as secondary to diabetes mellitus. The case will be returned to the Board after further review.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's TDIU claim due to inextricably intertwined issues of increased rating for psychiatric disability and service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The VA examiner is requested to assess the impact of the service-connected disabilities on the Veteran's ability to obtain and retain employment.

The Board has granted service connection for a chronic headache disorder and an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD. The Veteran's headaches in service are considered chronic, and her PTSD is linked to military sexual assault.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the claim for service connection for psychiatric disability with sleep disturbance. The Veteran's psychiatric disability is found to be proximately due to or the result of his service-connected disabilities, including vertigo and a right shoulder disability.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including schizophrenia, mania, and depression, is being remanded due to the need for additional development of his medical records.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disability is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and opinion regarding the onset and etiology of his claimed conditions.