Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2016

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied, and the RO increased his back disability rating to 20 percent effective October 3, 2011. The Veteran was not granted any other benefits.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, is being remanded due to non-compliance with previous Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board) directives regarding scheduling a VA examination and notification. The case will be returned to the RO for further development.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for a psychiatric disorder, finding that the evidence does not support a link between his current condition and his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to January 25, 2007 for the grant of service connection for chronic paranoid schizophrenia cannot be granted as there is no evidence of a formal or informal claim being filed before this date.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, headaches, and acquired psychiatric disability. The claim for left hip disability is granted as new and material evidence was received.

The Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a psychiatric disorder is granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including schizoaffective disorder with depression, was incurred during his active duty service. The claim is granted.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for the issues of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, heart disability, and prostate cancer, as well as TDIU. The appeal is dismissed.

The Board has decided the case requires additional development and remands it back to the AOJ for further action.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder did not pre-exist his service and was not aggravated by it, thus denying service connection.,There is insufficient evidence to establish a link between the Veteran's tension headaches and his period of active duty service or any service-connected disability.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to provide the Veteran with VA examinations and obtain additional medical opinions regarding his HIV, renal disability, neuropathy, psychiatric disabilities, and right ear hearing loss.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD. The claim is granted as the evidence supports a diagnosis of PTSD related to in-service sexual trauma.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining evidence from potential witnesses and private mental health treatment records.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including schizophrenia, PTSD, and anxiety disorder. The private etiological opinion supports a finding that these conditions are related to service.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and dysthymia). The decision on the latter two issues is pending.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a psychiatric disorder and Hepatitis C were denied. The claim for an increased disability rating for his low back condition was granted with an effective date of August 21, 2006.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's alcohol abuse is caused by his service-connected PTSD. Therefore, the claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD is granted.

The Veteran's service-connected residuals of a traumatic brain injury (TBI) have resulted in no more than a 10 percent disability rating, and his headaches are separately rated. The Board finds that the evidence does not support an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for TBI or a compensable initial disability rating for headaches.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including VA examinations and further medical opinion regarding his psychiatric condition, coronary artery disease, hairy cell leukemia, and pancytopenia.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, bilateral ankle disorder, heel spurs (bilateral feet), hip disorder (bilateral), and knee disorder (bilateral). The Veteran's current diagnoses are considered to be related to his military service.