Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2014

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, is being remanded due to the need for additional development and consideration of new evidence.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected scars and duodenal ulcer. The scars were found not to meet criteria warranting a compensable rating, while the duodenal ulcer was found not to warrant an evaluation in excess of 40 percent.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, which he claims arose during service or is secondary to his service-connected disabilities. He also seeks a higher rating for his Grave's disease.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain an examination and determine the nature and etiology of any current psychiatric disorders, including PTSD. The Veteran's claim will be reviewed after this additional development.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, currently diagnosed as a polysubstance abuse disorder to include psychosis, is related to his service-connected PTSD. The Board grants the claim of service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, was aggravated by an in-service event during his Army National Guard service. As a result, the claim for service connection is granted.

The Board found that there is no evidence of a diagnosed psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, and thus denied the Veteran's claim for service connection.

The Veteran's service connection claim for a variously diagnosed psychiatric disability, to include PTSD, is denied as the evidence does not support a finding of service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not meet the diagnostic criteria for PTSD and therefore, service connection for PTSD is denied. The claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD remains pending.

The Board found that any acquired psychiatric disorder present during service did not result in residuals and a psychosis was not present within one year after the Veteran's extended period of active duty. The claim for service connection for a psychiatric disability was denied as there is no evidence to support an etiological relationship between the current condition and service.

The Board found that the Veteran's current acquired psychiatric disability, to include PTSD, did not have its onset during active service and is unrelated to his military service. As a result, the claim for service connection was denied.

The Board denied service connection for paranoid schizophrenia, finding that the Veteran does not have this condition and her claim was based on a new evidence submission.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for updated VA treatment records, particularly from 2009 and 2010. The Veteran's claims for service connection for acquired psychiatric disorder (including anxiety and depression) and sleep disorder are being reviewed.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for the claims of diabetes, peripheral neuropathy, PTSD, and hepatitis C during the October 2013 hearing on appeal.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining private medical records and VA treatment records, securing a vocational rehabilitation folder, and providing VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's cervical spine disorder, psychiatric disorders (including drug and alcohol abuse), and service-connected lumbar spine herniated disc and left lower extremity neuropathy disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for schizophrenia is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and updated treatment records.

The Board has ordered additional development to find records from the Veteran's hospitalizations in 1972, including at Orlando Naval Hospital and Temple University Hospital. The case is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's service connection claim for PTSD and an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD to include Major Depressive Disorder is granted, with the PTSD being found at least as likely as not resulting from a sexual assault during service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include schizophrenia, is being remanded due to the need for additional evidence and a VA examination.