Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2015

The Veteran's appeal is being returned to the Board for further consideration due to incomplete records from his VA medical treatment in Danville, Illinois. The issues of service connection for bipolar disorder and substance abuse, as well as an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, are pending.

The Veteran's left knee disability, which included a total knee replacement, was rated at 30 percent. The right knee disability was found to be secondary to the service-connected left knee disability and granted service connection. Service connection for PTSD and back disability were also granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disability and an acquired psychiatric disability are being remanded due to inadequate medical opinions. A new VA examination is required to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions, as well as whether they are related to his service-connected right ankle condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder and alcohol abuse. The claims will be reconsidered after obtaining additional development.

The preponderance of the evidence is against a finding that any psychiatric condition was incurred during active service or is causally related to any disease, injury, or incident during service. The Veteran's current psychiatric disability is not related to service.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, that was caused by his service and denied the claim.

The Veteran does not have a current psychiatric disability and no past psychiatric disability was related to service or a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, other than his service-connected depressive disorder, is being remanded due to the need for a new examination and consideration of the credibility of the Veteran's reported stressors.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral pes planus, a bilateral knee disorder (secondary to bilateral pes planus), and an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and depression). The Veteran's claims were not supported by the evidence of record.

The Board has granted service connection for residuals of a head injury and is granting the claim for an acquired psychiatric disability on a direct basis. The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability is found to be related to his active service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current diagnosis of schizophrenia is presumptively incurred in service due to its chronicity and continuity of symptoms since separation from active duty.

The Board has ordered additional development to obtain service treatment records and other relevant medical records, as well as to schedule the Veteran for VA examinations. The case will be returned to the AOJ for further adjudication.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination and further development.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to inconsistencies in the reported stressors and for obtaining updated VA treatment records.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for a left shoulder disability, right wrist strain, right knee disability, staphylococcus infection, and left calf tear. The claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder was not reopened, as no new and material evidence was submitted within one year of the denial. Similarly, the claim for headache syndrome was also not reopened. However, the claim for a skin disability was reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to May 9, 2008 for the grant of service connection for schizophrenia, paranoid type is denied as his claim was not timely filed within one year after the denial in May 2004.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current acquired psychiatric disorder is connected to service, and thus grants service connection for this condition. The issues of asthma and right knee disability are remanded for further development.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for the issues of entitlement to a higher initial rating for coronary artery disease and an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss prior to the Board's decision.

The Board finds that the preponderance of the evidence is against a finding that the Veteran has a mid-back disorder that had its onset in service, manifested within one year of separation from service, or is otherwise etiologically related to service. The claim for service connection for dementia and an acquired psychiatric disorder are remanded as additional development is needed.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining a VA examination and reviewing all pertinent medical records.