Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2014

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a valid psychiatric illness and is overreporting symptoms, thus denying his claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have current diagnoses for an acquired psychiatric disorder or residuals of a head injury, and thus cannot establish service connection.

The Board found that the Veteran's pre-existing acquired psychiatric disorder, specifically schizophrenia, was not aggravated by his service and denied the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, lumbar spine disorder, and gout of the bilateral lower extremities are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development.

The Veteran's appeal has been remanded due to the need for additional medical records and further examination. The issues of service connection for an undiagnosed illness and an acquired psychiatric disorder are pending.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Veteran's service connection claims for PTSD and an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD were denied as the evidence does not support a diagnosis of PTSD or any other acquired mental disorder due to in-service stressors. The examiner concluded that his current psychiatric symptoms are more likely related to his long history of mental illness, rather than prior military experiences.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus began during military service and has been continuous since then, granting service connection for this condition. The other issues of service connection are addressed in the REMAND portion of the decision.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD has been dismissed as the claim is no longer pending due to a settlement agreement that granted service connection for PTSD and related disorders.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a new VA mental health examination and for issuance of a statement of the case on his prostatitis claim.

The Board found that the Veteran's reported in-service stressor and head injury were not verified, and there was no evidence linking his current psychiatric conditions to service.,The Veteran's diagnoses of PTSD and TBI residuals are denied as there is insufficient evidence to support their connection to service.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as nervous condition) and GERD, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are proximately caused by or aggravated by his service-connected disabilities. The rating assigned is not applicable in this case.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including blurred vision, night sweats, traumatic brain injury, sleep apnea, psychiatric disability (PTSD, major depression and anxiety), residuals of frostbite of the ears, and low back disorder. The decision is based on a finding that there is no direct evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board found that the Veteran's schizophrenia was aggravated by his second period of active duty service, but not incurred or aggravated during his first period of active duty.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to schedule a Travel Board hearing at the RO due to his request.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete actions in obtaining information regarding the Veteran's claimed stressor and Morning Reports for his service. The appeal will be returned to the AOJ for further consideration.

The Board has determined that additional development of the record is necessary due to incomplete examination reports and missing SSA records. The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disability, to include as secondary to service-connected lumbar spine/degenerative disc disease, was denied. The issue of service connection for bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy remains pending.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current disability related to his service, and therefore denied his claims for service connection.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining updated VA medical records and scheduling a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's current psychiatric disability is related to service.