Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2015

The Board granted service connection for right brachial plexopathy as secondary to a service-connected right shoulder disability and granted an increased rating of 40 percent for the right shoulder disability from June 9, 2006. The acquired psychiatric disorder claim is addressed in the REMAND portion.

The Veteran was found to be unemployable due to service-connected and non-service connected conditions, with the April 2000 VA examination report being considered as having no probative value. The effective date for TDIU is set at September 21, 2001.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and prison medical records. The Veteran's claim will be readjudicated based on all evidence.

The Board found no credible evidence of an in-service stressor and thus denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD. The issue of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD is remanded due to lack of a VA examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as PTSD and bipolar disorder, is related to his service. The claim for a skin rash is also granted due to exposure to environmental hazards in Southwest Asia.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a Decision Review Officer (DRO) hearing and because this claim has direct bearing on his TDIU claim.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied as there is no evidence of a current disability meeting VA criteria. The claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, to include Major Depressive Disorder and PTSD, remains pending.

The case is being remanded due to the Veteran's missed hearing date and unclear notification of his scheduled hearing. The claims file will be returned for further action.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine if the Veteran served on ACDUTRA in February 1989 and whether his current psychiatric disability, including schizophrenia and depression, is related to service or service-connected tinnitus. The case will be remanded for these purposes.

The Board has vacated its previous decision and remanded the case for further action due to new evidence submitted by the appellant's attorney.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death. The claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, schizophrenia, and adjustment disorder, is now moot.

The Board finds that a remand is necessary to obtain additional medical evidence and for further examination regarding the Veteran's claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, and a skin disorder due to herbicide exposure.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for schizophrenia due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran, but finds that there is no evidence linking the current psychiatric disorder to service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and an addendum opinion regarding the lumbar spine disorder. The issues of service connection for a lumbar spine disorder and a psychiatric disorder (PTSD) are on appeal.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's schizophrenia and major depressive disorder are service-connected. The other psychiatric disability is not addressed as it was not diagnosed in this decision.

The Veteran has been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. The Board finds that the disability is presumed to have existed prior to service, and thus service connection for schizophrenia is granted.

The Board has remanded the case due to failure to obtain VA treatment records and will be reviewed again after these records are obtained.

The Board found no evidence linking joint pain of the shoulders, knees, and back to service or any exposure to mustard gas or Agent Orange. The claim for service connection was denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Panic Disorder, Major Depressive Disorder, and Depression, as well as his sleep apnea, are related to events during his service. Therefore, these conditions have been granted service connection.

The appeal is being remanded to obtain and associate with the claims file the Veteran's complete service personnel records, as well as any ongoing treatment records. The VA will also provide the Veteran with a VA examination to determine the origins or etiology of all current psychiatric disorders, incontinence/chronic bladder disorder, left shoulder disability, left elbow disability, bilateral knee disabilities, and low back disability.