Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2014

The Board finds that the Veteran does not have a current disability of PTSD and his symptoms are not etiologically related to service. The Veteran's insomnia is also not etiologically related to service, and there is no evidence of chronic fatigue syndrome.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as depression with psychotic features, is found to be related to his service-connected back disability and thus granted service connection.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, is denied as there is no current diagnosis of a mental disability. The claims for heart disease and hypertension are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and major depressive disorder, was denied as the evidence did not meet the diagnostic criteria for PTSD.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to consider the etiology of his hearing loss, tinnitus, and psychiatric disability claims.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and an addendum opinion regarding service connection for residuals of cold exposure and acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD.

The Board denied reopening the claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, to include PTSD and bipolar disorder. The new evidence does not meet the criteria set forth in VA regulations.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as there was insufficient evidence to establish a nexus between the claimed conditions and his military service.

The Board found that the evidence does not support a conclusion that any current neurological/neurocognitive/neuropsychiatric disability, including headaches, is related to service or secondary to service-connected PTSD.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to new evidence submitted since the last final denial. However, the Veteran's current hearing loss disability is not considered related to his military service as there was no evidence of a nexus between in-service noise exposure and post-service hearing problems.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and records.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a kidney/bladder condition was previously denied in August 1985 and is now being reopened. The evidence submitted since the last denial does not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.,The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss claim has been denied as there is no current diagnosis or evidence that he currently suffers from this disability.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have PTSD, and there is no evidence of a psychiatric disorder other than PTSD or sleep apnea in service. The claims are therefore denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to a VLJ retirement and requests for a new hearing. The Veteran's claims of service connection for a psychiatric disability, including as secondary to service-connected disability, and for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss are still pending.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions and providing the Veteran with notice of secondary service connection requirements.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to a lack of notice for the June 1982 rating decision denying service connection for a nervous condition. The claim on appeal will be readjudicated after addressing whether notice was provided.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's major depressive disorder is service-connected, but has not established a current diagnosis of any other psychiatric disability. The claim for service connection for psychiatric disability other than major depressive disorder was denied.

The Board found no evidence of an in-service event, injury or disease that would cause a psychiatric disability and there was no showing of continuity of symptomatology. The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied.

The Board has granted service connection for schizophrenia, finding that the Veteran's current diagnosis of schizophrenia is likely as not having its clinical onset during his active duty service. The decision resolves all reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's schizophrenia, the sole service-connected condition, requires regular aid and attendance due to his mental incapacity. The Board finds that he is in need of such care or assistance on a regular basis to protect him from hazards or dangers inherent in his daily environment.