Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2015

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be service-connected, and his psychiatric disorder (including PTSD) is also found to be service-connected based on the evidence of record.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis for PTSD, and therefore cannot establish service connection for this condition. The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD is found to be related to his active service.

The Board has remanded the case due to a failure to develop the claim for a thyroid disorder in accordance with VA regulations. The Veteran's service connection claims are now inextricably intertwined with the remanded issue.

The Veteran's appeal was denied for a compensable rating for dermatitis of the bilateral hands. The other issues were either not addressed or denied.

The Board has remanded the case for further development to determine if the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is related to his service or due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's variously diagnosed psychiatric disorder has been granted a rating of at least 70 percent, which is the maximum schedular rating available under the General Formula for Mental Disorders. The issues of entitlement to increased ratings for his left foot disability and TDIU remain before the Board.

The Veteran's tinnitus is service connected. The claims for a gastrointestinal disability and psychiatric disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board has remanded the case for a new VA examination to determine the etiology of any acquired psychiatric disability other than PTSD found to be present, and express an opinion as to whether it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran's current psychiatric disability other than PTSD is related to in-service trauma or injury.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to his request for a Board hearing. The issues of reopening the service connection claim for a psychiatric disorder, entitlement to service connection for organic brain syndrome, and entitlement to an increased evaluation for eczema are pending.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Board finds that the Veteran's claimed disabilities did not manifest during service or within a year thereafter, and thus are not presumed to have been incurred therein. The preponderance of evidence is against finding any nexus between current diagnoses and service.

The Board found that the Veteran's current psychiatric disorders, diagnosed as schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder, were not incurred in or related to service. The evidence did not establish a nexus between his military service and his current conditions.

The Board denied service connection for a neck disability and the request to reopen a claim for an acquired psychiatric disability (previously described as anxiety with multiple somatoform disorders, now claimed as PTSD).

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that his current symptoms are not related to his military service and did not meet the criteria for a diagnosis of PTSD or psychosis.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, adjustment disorder, and anxiety disorder, is granted. An initial rating in excess of 30 percent for service-connected psychiatric disability (to include PTSD, anxiety disorder, and adjustment disorder) is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran is entitled to an earlier effective date of April 14, 2010 for both the assignment of a 100 percent schedular rating for her service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder and the grant of SMC at the housebound rate.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to April 19, 2004 for a grant of service connection for paranoid type schizophrenia was granted. The effective date is set at July 15, 1997.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions and records.

The Board has found that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the claim of service connection for a psychiatric disability, specifically schizophrenia. The Board also determined that the Veteran's schizophrenia had its onset during service and is therefore service-connected.