Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2013

The Veteran's headaches and acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depression, were not shown to be related to his service or any in-service stressor. The Board finds that the preponderance of evidence does not support these claims.

The Veteran's petition to reopen her claim for service connection of bipolar disorder was granted, and she received a TDIU rating effective December 17, 2007. The appellant is eligible for attorney fees from past-due benefits related to the March 2009 award of the TDIU.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to the death of the appellant, and thus the Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this claim.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including obtaining service personnel records and VA medical records, as well as SSA and private disability records. The Veteran's claim will be reconsidered based on new evidence.

The Board has remanded the case due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran, and further development is required before a final decision can be made.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left eye disorders, as well as his claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD). The evidence does not support a finding of in-service injury or disease that led to these conditions.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disability and a chronic acquired psychiatric disability, finding that the evidence did not support a causal relationship between these conditions and active service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's paranoid schizophrenia is related to his in-service psychiatric symptoms and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for PTSD and granted it. The status of the claims for an acquired psychiatric disability to include PTSD and degenerative disc disease, also characterized as low back disability, is unknown due to lack of evidence.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depression, was denied as there is no evidence of a diagnosed PTSD. His major depressive disorder is not related to his active service or secondary to his service-connected coronary artery disease.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted. He is now entitled to compensation for a gastrointestinal disorder, including duodenitis, irritable bowel syndrome, and diverticulitis; PTSD; an acquired psychiatric disorder (excluding psychosis, personality disorder, schizophrenia, and alcohol abuse); right ear hearing loss; left ear hearing loss; and tinnitus.

The Veteran's schizophrenia has been rated at 70 percent since the award of service connection, and he is found to be unemployable due to his service-connected condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of PTSD or other psychiatric disorders, and there is no evidence linking these conditions to service. For bilateral hearing loss, while the Veteran reports symptoms related to military service, the VA examinations did not find any current disability meeting VA's definition for hearing loss.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss prior to November 30, 2010 and denied his claim for increased rating thereafter.

The Board found no evidence of an acquired psychiatric disorder during service or for many years thereafter, and thus denied the Veteran's claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development and scheduling a Veteran for a Videoconference hearing.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that the Veteran did not engage in combat with the enemy during service and that symptoms of a psychiatric disorder were not chronic in service. The current psychiatric disorder was first manifested many years after service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, major depressive disorder, and schizophrenia, was not incurred in or aggravated by active service. The bilateral knee disability was also not found to be related to service.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability other than PTSD was not incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depression, is related to her in-service personal assault. Service connection for this condition is granted.