Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2014

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection for a right shoulder condition and sinusitis due to their withdrawal by the appellant. The appeal regarding an acquired psychiatric disorder is being remanded.

The Board has determined that the July 2010 VA examination and opinion are inadequate for adjudication purposes, particularly regarding bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder is also remanded due to the inadequacy of the June 2010 VA examination and opinion.

The Veteran's claims are being remanded due to unclear service history and the need for additional medical examinations. The issues of service connection for PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, right carpal tunnel syndrome, and left carpal tunnel syndrome remain under review.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's schizophrenia is presumed to have been incurred in service due to its manifestation within one year of his discharge, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board found no evidence of a service-connected acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD. The claims for sterility, watering eyes, and breathing problems were also denied as there was insufficient evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board has granted service connection for schizophrenia, finding that the Veteran's current diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia had its onset during his period of active duty training (ACDUTRA) in 1973-1974.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability is rated at 20 percent, but the Board finds that there is not sufficient evidence to grant a higher rating. The Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of PTSD and his depressive disorder was not incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to determine if any PTSD is related to in-service stressors involving fear of hostile military or terrorist activity. The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD will also be examined.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining a new medical examination to determine if any current psychiatric disorders are related to service or other conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, finding that there was no credible supporting evidence of the claimed in-service stressors and thus not meeting the criteria for establishing service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD and Major Depressive Disorder, finding that the evidence supports a link between these conditions and the Veteran's in-service experiences.

The Veteran does not have current diagnoses of memory loss, chest pain, or a psychiatric disorder (including PTSD). The VA examiner found no evidence linking these conditions to service.,VA examiners determined that the Veteran's arthritis in his shoulders is less likely than not caused by his time on active duty and is not related to any service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is granted, as supported by medical evidence diagnosing the condition and linking it to in-service stressors. The claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD and a right ankle disability are addressed separately.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, and a respiratory disability due to radiation exposure was denied. The Board found no evidence of a current diagnosis or link between the claimed conditions and his military service.

The Board found that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder was not incurred in service and denied his claim.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim of service connection for schizophrenia, acute. The Veteran's schizophrenia was manifest in active service and a private psychiatrist provided an opinion linking his current condition to service. Therefore, service connection is granted.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, specifically depressive disorder NOS, is found to be related to his service-connected cervical spine disability. The issues of service connection for urinary tract infections and prostatitis are remanded as the evidence does not provide sufficient information on their etiology.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, specifically PTSD, based on a lack of diagnosed condition and insufficient evidence to establish a link between current symptoms and in-service stressors.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is not related to his service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a diagnosis of PTSD related to an in-service stressor and therefore, service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is denied.