Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2014

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a new VA examination to determine if the Veteran's sleepwalking is related to his active service and whether it pre-existed service. The Veteran also needs updated VA treatment records.

The Board has ordered additional development regarding the Veteran's claims, including obtaining records from his time in prison. The case is being remanded for further review after this development.

The Veteran's claim of reopening service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is being remanded due to the need for additional development and examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's psychiatric disability is related to a personality disorder present prior to service, while his lumbar spine disability is not shown during or within one year after service and does not meet the criteria for presumptive service connection.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining additional information from the Veteran regarding his reported stressors and verifying any verified stressors. An examination is also required to determine if a current acquired psychiatric disability, to include PTSD, was incurred or aggravated as a result of service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, anxiety disorder, or depressive disorder is granted. The issue of increased initial evaluation for left ear hearing loss remains pending.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and verifying stressors. The issues of service connection for a left eye disorder, PTSD/Depression, and TDIU are also being addressed.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for his lumbar spine disability, finding that it is aggravated by his service-connected schizophrenia.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining the Veteran's St. Albans medical records and scheduling a VA examination to address whether his acquired psychiatric condition is related to service.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current sleep apnea, psychiatric disorder (including Major Depressive Disorder and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder), and bilateral pes planus were not shown in service or for years thereafter. The evidence does not support a finding of an in-service event or injury resulting in these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a Travel Board hearing. The issues of service connection and TDIU are not addressed in the decision.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current psychiatric disorder is service-connected due to aggravation of a pre-existing severe personality disorder during his military service.

The Board found no evidence linking the Veteran's current acquired psychiatric disorders to his active military service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has found that there is no evidence of a chronic psychiatric disorder in service or within one year post-service, and the Veteran's current psychiatric disorders are not shown to be related to his active military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, finding that there was no credible supporting evidence of the claimed stressors. The diagnoses of PTSD were based on uncorroborated stressors.

The Veteran's claim for basic eligibility to nonservice-connected pension benefits prior to May 24, 2010 is denied. However, the Board grants basic eligibility to nonservice-connected pension benefits from May 24, 2010 based on his service and age requirements.

The Veteran's claims for hypertension, valvular heart disease, and an acquired psychiatric disability are being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board found that the Veteran's paranoid schizophrenia did not manifest during or as a result of his active duty service and is not related to any in-service event, injury, or illness.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development and an opinion regarding whether the Veteran's in-service psychiatric disorder caused or contributed to his death by suicide.

The Board finds that the Veteran has a current diagnosis of PTSD related to his experiences during his service in the Republic of Vietnam, and thus grants service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder to include PTSD.