Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2013

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to incomplete medical opinions and need for additional development.

The Veteran's schizophrenia has resulted in total occupational and social impairment throughout the period on appeal, warranting a 100 percent disability rating.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, and psychotic disorder (claimed as schizophrenia), finding that there was no evidence to support a diagnosis of PTSD and noting that his current mental health status is not related to service.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including obtaining an addendum opinion from a qualified examiner to address the Veteran's employability due to his service-connected disabilities and other factors.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for scheduling a video conference hearing at the nearest VA facility to her current residence in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to fully and fairly consider the merits of the Veteran's claims, including obtaining relevant records from SSA, providing a VA examination for headaches, neck condition, and PTSD, and determining whether service connection should be granted.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for PTSD, finding that there was no evidence indicating a claim prior to April 30, 2007.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed, including obtaining records from the Social Security Administration and VA, scheduling a VA examination to assess the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, and reviewing the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is being remanded due to inconsistencies in her reported events and the need for a VA examination to determine if she meets the criteria for a PTSD diagnosis and whether any behavior changes may be indicative of a personal assault.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, was denied as there is no evidence of a verified stressor and the Veteran does not meet the criteria for PTSD.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including a VA examination to determine if any currently diagnosed psychiatric disorders are related to service and whether they pre-existed service. Additional evidence received since the February 2013 supplemental statement of the case will also be considered.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, other than PTSD.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, left wrist burn scar, digestive disorder, sleep disorder, and ED as secondary to hypertension. The remaining issues of service connection have been withdrawn by the Veteran.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, as new and material evidence has been received. The case is remanded for a comprehensive VA psychiatric examination to determine if it is at least as likely as not that any current acquired psychiatric disability had its onset in service or was otherwise etiologically related thereto.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim due to incomplete evidence and the need for further examination. The Veteran is seeking service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, which may be related to in-service stressors.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Board found no evidence of a heart disorder, hypertension, or other claimed conditions during service or within one year post-service. Service connection was not granted for any condition.

The Veteran's service-connected residuals of prostate cancer have resulted in daytime voiding interval of three to four times per day, but renal dysfunction and urinary tract infections are not shown. The preponderance of the evidence does not support a higher rating for this condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and melanoma were denied, as there was no evidence of a current disability or link to service. The claim for cause of death was not addressed due to the appellant withdrawing her hearing request.

The Board found that a chronic acquired psychiatric disability was not manifested during the Veteran's active duty service, or within one year of discharge, nor is any current chronic acquired psychiatric disability causally related to such service. Therefore, the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder has been denied.

The Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities is found to have been incurred during service and is therefore granted service connection.