Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2013

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining updated treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to determine if the Veteran meets the criteria for a diagnosis of PTSD related to his fear of hostile military or terrorist activity while on active duty.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, based on the Veteran's combat experience in Vietnam. The claims for bilateral knee disorders, bilateral hearing loss, and a skin rash are remanded for further examination.

The Board found no evidence of a current acquired psychiatric disorder and denied the Veteran's claim for service connection.

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

The Board found no evidence of burn scars or an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD) incurred in service and denied both claims.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as he does not have a current disability. The claims for acquired psychiatric disorder, IBS, shortness of breath, and bilateral pes planus are remanded for further development.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD and major depressive disorder. The Veteran's low back disability is currently rated as 20 percent disabling.

The Veteran's dental disorder claim was denied, and his growth to the left upper chest was granted. The service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (to include PTSD) was not granted.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to inadequate search efforts for in-service mental health records and police records related to a shooting incident. The Veteran's claim will be re-adjudicated after these records are obtained.

The Board has dismissed the appeal for service connection on all three issues due to the appellant's request for withdrawal of her remaining appeals.

The Board denied the claims for reopening of service connection for right and left knee disorders, cervical spine disorder, low back disorder, bilateral hip disorder, radiculopathy of upper extremities, neuropathy of lower extremities, and psychiatric disorder due to lack of evidence establishing a nexus between these conditions and service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder or any other acquired psychiatric disorder, and there is no evidence linking such conditions to service. The Veteran's symptoms are attributed to inaccurate self-reporting and malingering.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a diagnosed right leg disability other than sciatic neuritis, and her psychiatric disorder is not related to service-connected disabilities. Therefore, both claims for service connection are denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have PTSD and his other diagnosed psychiatric disabilities are not shown to be etiologically related to service. The claims for right knee disability, bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, hypertension, and bilateral leg cramps were withdrawn by the Veteran during a hearing before the Board. Service connection is denied for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD, depression, and a mood disorder), right lower extremity disability, left lower extremity disability, low back disability, right knee disability, bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, hypertension, and bilateral leg cramps.

The Board has granted service connection for paranoid schizophrenia and assigned an initial 70 percent rating, effective August 14, 2011. The Veteran's other claims were denied.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, a right ankle disorder, a bilateral foot disorder, and a back disorder as secondary to his service-connected left knee disability. The evidence did not support these claims.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and a cervical spine disorder, finding that new and material evidence was received to reopen his claims. The Board also found that the Veteran's current diagnoses are at least as likely as not related to his in-service complaints of neck pain and spasms.

The Board denied service connection for depression as secondary to service-connected chronic hepatitis, finding that the evidence did not support this claim.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, is being remanded due to the inadequacy of a previous VA examination and the need for additional evidence. The case will be returned to the Board for further review.

The Veteran's service-connected residuals of a brain concussion are rated at 40 percent, effective March 7, 2007. The Veteran also has tinnitus which is separately rated at 10 percent.