Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2013

The Veteran's schizophrenia was manifested within one year of service and is considered to be directly related to his military service.

The Board found no evidence of a current psychiatric disability and concluded that the appellant's claimed conditions are not related to his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of allergic rhinitis, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and depression), onychomycosis, and hypertension. The Veteran did not meet the criteria for presumptive service connection due to herbicide exposure or other diseases associated with such exposure.

The Veteran's service-connected vascular headaches are currently rated at 30 percent prior to December 12, 2008 and at 50 percent from that date. The claim for a compensable rating for vascular headaches is granted.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence of a current disability related to service for the claimed conditions, including bilateral knee disability, bilateral shin splints, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disability. Therefore, service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, chronic headaches, and TDIU are still pending. The psychiatric claim is in progress with a reopened status due to new evidence submitted since the last denial. The issue of whether new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the chronic headaches claim remains in progress. The TDIU claim is also in progress.

The Veteran's natural child, LDC, was diagnosed with schizophrenia prior to the age of 18 and has been permanently incapable of self-support since then. The Board granted recognition as a helpless child for VA benefits purposes.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to inadequate opinion regarding his psychiatric disability and procedural issues with the low back claim. Additional evidence is needed, including VA treatment records for his psychiatric condition.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to incomplete records and unclear medical opinions.

The Board found no evidence of an acquired psychiatric disability in service or due to service, and thus denied the Veteran's claims for service connection.

The Veteran's claim is being remanded for additional development to verify his claimed stressors and exposure to herbicides/asbestos, obtain VA treatment records, obtain SSA disability benefits records, and schedule a VA psychiatric examination.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine if the Veteran's service connection claims are based on Agent Orange exposure or other factors. The case is being remanded for further action.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine at a hearing. The case is remanded to obtain additional development regarding service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from obtaining or retaining substantially gainful employment, without considering his age and nonservice-connected conditions.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence of a diagnosis of PTSD, and therefore service connection for PTSD cannot be granted. The Veteran's symptoms have been diagnosed as depressive disorder.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and arranging for an examination to determine if TDIU benefits are warranted. The Veteran's attorney submitted new evidence after the July 2011 Board decision.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depression, is found to be related to in-service assault. The cognitive disorder is not service-connected but may have been aggravated by the service-connected psychiatric disorders.

The Board found that the Veteran's hypertension and heart disability are not related to service, while his neck disability is related. The claim for nonservice-connected pension benefits was denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional evidence from a VA examiner and treatment records.

The Board found no evidence of a pre-existing psychiatric disability and denied service connection for PTSD and paranoid schizophrenia. The Veteran's contention that he developed these conditions during or as a result of his military service was not supported by the medical evidence.