Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2014

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD cannot be reopened as there is no new and material evidence to support his claims.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining treatment records from Wes Heath Center and incarceration records from County Federal Corrections Facility. The Veteran's claim will be reconsidered after these actions.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for VA examinations to assess his claimed conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's schizophrenia, a psychosis, was initially manifested within one year of discharge from his first period of active duty and is presumed to have been incurred in service.

The Board has remanded the case due to the Veteran's request for a hearing before the Board, and additional development is needed.

The Board found that the Veteran's paranoid schizophrenia was not incurred in or aggravated by active service and is not otherwise related to his military service.

The Board found that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, did not result from his service and denied the claim.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is addressed in the REMAND portion of this decision. The Board finds that there is no current diagnosis of soft tissue sarcoma during the appeal period, and thus denies the claim for service connection for soft tissue sarcoma due to herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's migraine headaches are rated at 30 percent, but do not meet the criteria for a higher rating. The Board found that her migraines occur approximately three to four times per month and have not most nearly approximated very frequent completely prostrating and prolonged attacks productive of severe economic inadaptability.

The Board has found that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's claim of service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depression. The claim is being reopened.

The Board has granted service connection for schizophrenia and denied service connection for ulcers. The claims of service connection for arthritis of the hands, knees, and back are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including posttraumatic stress disorder, is being remanded due to the need to obtain additional records and provide an updated examination.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him blind, bedridden, or a patient in a nursing home. His service-connected conditions do not preclude his ability to independently perform daily functions of self-care and to protect himself from the hazards and dangers incident to his daily environment. The Board finds that he is not shown to be restricted to his dwelling or immediate premises.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability based on new evidence. The issues of service connection for a back and/or pelvis disability, and for a psychiatric disability (PTSD) remain pending.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for service connection for PTSD or any other acquired psychiatric disorder, as there is no medical evidence linking current symptoms to an in-service stressor. The Veteran's claims are therefore denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disability, including PTSD, depression, and adjustment disorder with anxiety, is denied as there is no current diagnosis of such a condition during the pendency of his appeal. The Board notes that he had mental health complaints in service but did not have a diagnosed psychiatric disability at separation or currently.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for thoracic scoliosis is denied as there is no evidence of a chronic acquired back disability during his second period of active duty, which was found to be due to a congenital defect. The Veteran failed to report for VA examinations scheduled to determine the nature and etiology of any current back disability.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder and current tinnitus are found to be related to service. The case is remanded for a VA examination regarding the etiology of his back disability, which may be related to an in-service fall from a truck.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and for a VA examination to determine the etiology of his claimed psychiatric disorder and right knee disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's appeal should be remanded for a new VA examination to determine if he has a current psychiatric disability, including PTSD, and whether it is at least as likely as not related to his service. The claim will then be re-adjudicated.