Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2014

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD. New evidence from VA treatment records suggests a current diagnosis of anxiety disorder related to an in-service sexual assault and establishes a relationship between this condition and service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cause of death and dementia, for accrued benefits purposes, are related to his service-connected schizophrenia. The appellant's claims have been granted.

The Board finds that the evidence does not support a finding of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD. The preponderance of the competent and credible evidence is against this claim.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current diagnoses are etiologically related to noise exposure during active military service. Service connection was denied for an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board finds that the Veteran does not meet the DSM-IV criteria for PTSD based on the VA examinations and opinions, and therefore service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, is denied.

The Board is remanding the case for further development, including obtaining medical records and verifying the Veteran's current address of record with VA.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a bilateral ankle disability, extrapyramidal syndrome, and an acquired psychiatric disorder to include nervousness. The evidence does not support a finding that any of these conditions were incurred or aggravated during active service.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, to include PTSD, arthritis of the hips, arthritis of the knees, a sinus disability, a low back disability, and headaches. The claims are therefore denied.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection and a 100% rating for schizophrenia is denied. The earliest effective date allowed by law is November 17, 2000.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have an acquired psychiatric disorder incurred in or related to service.,The Veteran's tinnitus is also not shown to be related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back disorder is not related to service and denied his claim for service connection. The Board also found that he had a current diagnosis of major depressive disorder, which was incurred in service.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disorder and bilateral knee disorders, as well as an acquired psychiatric disorder and GERD. The Veteran's claims were not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for a higher initial rating for parasomnia at the February 2014 Board hearing. The psychiatric disability claim remains under consideration.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine the nature and etiology of his acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete development, including obtaining inpatient psychiatric treatment records from Landstube Germany and Bethesda Naval Hospital, as well as additional VA psychiatric examination.

The Board is remanding the case to the AOJ for additional development and consideration of new evidence submitted by the Veteran.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to a need for further evidentiary development and consideration, including scheduling an additional videoconference hearing.

The Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for hepatitis C due to a blood transfusion in May 1980 was denied, and her service connection claim for an innocently acquired psychiatric disorder was also denied.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for reopening his service connection claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder and residuals of a post-operative, pilonidal cyst. The evidence received since the final denial does not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating these claims.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to issues with communication and delivery of important documents.