Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2014

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for adding his child R.B. as a dependent was denied because the earliest allowed effective date under VA regulations is August 1, 2008.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current bilateral foot disability or psychiatric disorder for VA purposes and therefore, service connection is denied.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted, effective from March 30, 2010.

Service connection for PTSD was granted based on evidence showing that the Veteran's reported in-service stressors were corroborated by medical and other evidence, and her PTSD is related to those events. Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD remains pending due to a lack of nexus evidence addressing whether it is secondary to PTSD.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional VA treatment records and for a VA psychiatric examination to determine the presence of any current acquired psychiatric disabilities, including PTSD.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD. However, it is determined that there is no evidence linking the current diagnosis of an acquired psychiatric disorder to the Veteran's active duty service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to missing VA treatment records and other relevant evidence. The Veteran's claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, will be reconsidered.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as bipolar disorder, is not service connected due to lack of in-service onset and no evidence of continuity of symptomatology.

The Board found no evidence of service-connected dental, tinnitus, pulmonary, back, stomach, heart, psychiatric, or throat disorders. The Veteran's current conditions are not shown to be related to his military service.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD and Schizoaffective Disorder, finding that the Veteran's current psychiatric conditions did not meet the criteria for service connection due to lack of evidence showing a nexus between his in-service stressor and his current diagnoses.

The Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for regular aid and attendance of another person or housebound status was denied as his service-connected disabilities do not cause him to be permanently bedridden or so helpless as to be in need of regular aid and attendance.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining translations of Spanish documents and scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected acquired psychiatric disability and evaluate his TDIU claim.

The Board has remanded the case due to a scheduled hearing, and further development is needed before a decision can be made on the service connection claims.

The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for a 70% disability rating for his service-connected schizophrenia is dismissed as the issue of entitlement to such an earlier effective date attempts to vitiate the rule of finality.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a knee disorder and granted it. The psychiatric disorder and sleep disorder claims were denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's skin condition of the feet, high blood pressure, and psychiatric disability (depression) are all related to his military service.

The Board finds that the Veteran does not have a diagnosis of a psychiatric disability, and specifically does not meet the criteria for PTSD as per DSM-IV. Therefore, service connection for a psychiatric disability is denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for all acquired psychiatric disabilities other than PTSD.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, dysthymic disorder, major depression, and depressive disorder, was denied.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss was also denied. The Veteran's current left ear hearing loss is not shown to be causally or etiologically related to his active military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his fibromyalgia and any acquired psychiatric disorder.