Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2014

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder and hypertension were not incurred in or related to his active service.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims, including obtaining records from SSA and verifying court martial proceedings. The Veteran will be notified of any further actions required.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased evaluation of shell fragment wound, right foot and service connection for right knee degenerative joint disease and acquired psychiatric disability (to include PTSD), finding no evidence to support these claims.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA and private treatment records, attempting to obtain outstanding pre-service and post-service psychiatric treatment records, scheduling the Veteran for a VA examination, and determining the nature, extent, onset, and etiology of any diagnosed psychiatric disability.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development of the record, including obtaining medical records and scheduling VA examinations. The Veteran's claims will be reconsidered based on the new evidence.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of September 8, 1988, but no earlier, for the grant of service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder has been granted. The issue of a higher rating for PTSD prior to June 1, 2004 is pending.

The Board has remanded the case due to additional VA medical evidence being added to the claims file, and the Veteran's representative requested a review of this new evidence.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and inadequate examination. The Veteran's psychiatric disability is being evaluated again for proper service connection.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, was denied as there is no current diagnosis of PTSD and the evidence does not support a finding that any other acquired psychiatric disorders are related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current bilateral hearing loss disability, pes planus, or acquired psychiatric disability (depressive disorder NOS) related to his service. The claims are therefore denied.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development due to an inability to schedule a VA examination.

The Board denied service connection for tinnitus and the Veteran's claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for a variously diagnosed psychiatric disability and remanded it for further development. The case will be returned to the Board after any necessary additional development.

The Veteran's dermatitis, NOS, was found to be causally related to his military service and granted service connection.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU prior to August 31, 2000 was denied as there was no pending unadjudicated claim and it is not factually ascertainable that the service-connected paranoid schizophrenia increased in severity during this period.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling a VA mental disorders examination. The Veteran's representative was also given an opportunity to submit a VA Form 646.

The Board has determined that the appellant's current psychiatric disorder is related to his active service, and thus grants service connection for a psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's schizophrenia, a service-connected condition, contributed to his death from anoxic brain injury due to restraint by hospital staff. The Board finds that the cause of death is attributable to service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of hypertension, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and depression), and a respiratory disability. The decision is unclear regarding whether new evidence was received to reopen the hypertension claim.

The Board has granted service connection for migraine headaches. The issue of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD and depression, remains pending.