Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2013

The Board found that the Veteran's current bipolar disorder did not manifest during service and is not related to active service, thus denying his claim for service connection.

The Board has ordered the case to be remanded for further development and consideration of the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD.

The Board has granted service connection for chloracne, but the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for a psychiatric disorder and a skin disorder other than chloracne are being remanded due to additional evidence submitted by the Veteran.

The Board found that the Veteran's psychiatric disability, including depression, did not begin during military service and is not causally related to military service. Therefore, service connection for a psychiatric disorder was denied.

The Board found that the Veteran's claimed PTSD and other psychiatric conditions are not related to his military service, as there is no credible evidence of an in-service stressor. The current psychiatric disabilities were determined to be due to non-service-related causes.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have an acquired psychiatric disorder that was caused by his service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, and denied his requests for higher initial ratings for radiculopathy of the right and left lower extremities.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for paranoid schizophrenia and chronic schizoaffective disorder due to new evidence showing symptoms close to separation from service. The Board finds that these conditions are related to service, as evidenced by a history of psychiatric symptoms since service and continuous medication control.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD, finding that the Veteran's claimed stressors of sexual harassment and rape are corroborated by credible supporting evidence. The diagnosis of PTSD is related to military sexual trauma.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining the specific location of Camp St. Barbara and verifying the Veteran's claimed stressors.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (other than service-connected dysthymic disorder), to include PTSD, has been withdrawn. The issues of a TDIU rating and an increased rating for GERD with hiatal hernia are being remanded.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and readjudication, specifically addressing the issue of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as new and material evidence was not submitted to reopen the previously denied claim of an eye disability. The Board found no evidence linking any current disabilities, including a psychiatric disorder, to military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for his claimed conditions, finding that they were not proximately due to or the result of a service-connected left knee disability.

The Veteran's service-connected schizophrenia, paranoid type, is already rated at 100 percent disabling since August 13, 1976. Therefore, an effective date earlier than October 3, 1989 for SMC based on the need for aid and attendance is not warranted.

The Board found that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including paranoid schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, were not incurred in or aggravated by service. The VA examiner concluded it was less likely than not that these conditions are related to military service.

The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected schizophrenic reaction, chronic, undifferentiated type did not meet the criteria for a disability rating in excess of 50 percent. The Veteran was also denied entitlement to TDIU as his condition did not preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disability and an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD. The Veteran did not meet the minimum criteria for TDIU due to a service-connected disability.

The Board found that the Veteran's symptoms are not related to his service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for additional development due to an administrative error in contacting him. The case will be readjudicated after all relevant records are obtained.