Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2014

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for type 2 diabetes mellitus, residuals of a stroke, prostate cancer, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD) due to new evidence received after the October 2010 supplemental statement of the case.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as schizophrenia, was not incurred in or aggravated by service. Headaches were also not shown to be related to service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disorder, tinnitus, hemorrhoids, lumbar spine disorder, psychiatric disorder, and ganglion cyst of the right wrist were not incurred in or aggravated by service.,Service connection was denied for all claimed conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to incomplete records and need for clarification regarding the etiology of his psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including schizoaffective disorder and schizophrenia, has been denied as there is no evidence of a current disability or any link to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for paranoid schizophrenia is dismissed. The Board also found that his claim for increased SMC based on need for higher level of aid and attendance/housebound was not substantiated.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for ulcerative colitis with erosive esophagitis was denied. The claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include posttraumatic stress disorder, is also denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating or service connection based on the current medical findings.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary to determine if the Veteran's service treatment records are complete and whether there were any assault incidents during his military service. The case will be remanded for these purposes.

The Veteran's cause of death is service connected due to bladder cancer, which was incurred during active duty. The issue of nonservice-connected death pension benefits is dismissed as moot by the grant of service connection for the cause of death. The claim for accrued benefits for a psychiatric disorder is also rendered moot.

The Board found that the Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is not warranted due to lack of credible supporting evidence for a stressor event. The issue of service connection for variously diagnosed psychiatric disability other than PTSD remains pending.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional development, including verification of stressors and a VA examination.

The Board has remanded the claim due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's claimed acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression and PTSD, linked to military sexual trauma. The VA will need to obtain additional treatment records from the Tucson VA facility.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining a new or addendum opinion regarding the Veteran's claimed PTSD and addressing whether he meets the diagnostic criteria for a psychiatric disorder other than PTSD.

The Board found that the Veteran's claimed psychiatric disabilities, including PTSD and schizophrenia, were not incurred in or aggravated by service. The evidence did not show a diagnosis of PTSD, and the VA examinations indicated a non-specific 'psychotic disorder' rather than PTSD. Service connection was denied as there is no direct link between the current conditions and service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating for her acquired psychiatric disability, finding that she did not meet the criteria for an effective date earlier than November 30, 2006. The decision also found no evidence of marked interference with employment or frequent periods of hospitalization to warrant an extraschedular TDIU prior to this date.

The Board found that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, either dysthymic disorder or depression, clearly and unmistakably existed prior to military service and did not worsen during the brief period of active duty. PTSD was also denied as it is not demonstrated to have developed as a result of a verified stressor during active service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and VA treatment records. If service connection is granted for Crohn's disease/colitis, the Veteran should be advised of the need to submit evidence supporting a secondary service connection theory.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and an examination to clarify all current psychiatric disorders, including PTSD and depression. The claim will be reconsidered after this additional evidence is obtained.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for post-concussion syndrome and its associated psychiatric disability, as well as the rating for bilateral hearing loss and scars. The Veteran's claims are pending further development.