Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2016

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, was denied. His claim for increased rating for lumbar L5-L6 spondylolisthesis and TDIU were also denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional service records and to provide a VA examination for his claimed psychiatric, knee, and low back disorders.

The Veteran's psychiatric disability, diagnosed as schizophrenia with paranoid type and dysthymic disorder, has resulted in total social and occupational impairment since March 12, 2002. The Board granted a 100% rating for the service-connected psychiatric disability effective November 28, 2012.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, and for TBI residuals are being remanded due to the need for additional development of his Naval Reserves service records and verification of claimed stressors.

The Board has granted service connection for gastritis and acquired psychiatric disorder (anxiety and depression). The claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disorder is pending, but further development is needed.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for service connection for schizophrenia and an increased rating for unspecified depressive disorder.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD and found that new and material evidence had not been received to reopen his previously denied claim. The Board also determined that there was no current diagnosis of PTSD or other acquired psychiatric disorder, and concluded that the Veteran did not have a disease or injury in service that caused an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board has determined that further development is needed on the Veteran's claims for service connection for TBI residuals and an acquired psychiatric disorder, as secondary to his service-connected generalized seizure disorder. The AOJ must obtain additional inpatient treatment records from Lundstahl Army Hospital, arrange for a VA examination to clarify the nature of the Veteran's claimed TBI residuals, and schedule another VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed psychiatric disorder.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including obtaining service treatment records and personnel records, as well as any character of discharge determination records. The appellant's mental health condition in service is being evaluated to determine if it constituted insanity or compelling circumstances warranting unauthorized absence.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence of a current acquired psychiatric disorder or compensably disabling psychotic disorder within one year after discharge from active duty, and thus the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is denied. The right shoulder and left elbow disorders are also not related to active duty service.

The Veteran's claims for a higher rating for his acquired psychiatric disorder to include PTSD and for TDIU were denied. The case is remanded for further development.

The Board found that the Appellant's paranoid schizophrenia pre-existed his entry into the National Guard and was not incurred or aggravated during his period of active duty for training. Therefore, service connection is denied.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including scheduling a VA examination and obtaining relevant medical records. The Veteran's claim will be reconsidered based on the new evidence.

The Board has determined that there is new and material evidence to reopen the claim for service connection for a psychiatric disability, which was previously denied in September 1992. The Veteran's previous appeal did not include this condition.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on the remaining issues have been dismissed due to his withdrawal of those claims.

The Veteran's appeal was denied. The issues of entitlement to service connection for a psychiatric disability, right knee disability, left knee disability, and tinnitus were addressed. The reduction in the rating for hearing loss from 50% to 20% was found to be proper.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, and therefore service connection for this condition is denied.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's low back disorder including arthritis of the lumbar spine. The cervical spine and PTSD claims are being remanded.,The Veteran asserts that his current cervical spine disorder is related to an injury in service, similar to his low back disorder.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to assess the severity of his schizophrenia. The TDIU claim is also inextricably intertwined and must be deferred until this development is completed.