Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2016

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD has been granted. The Board finds that the Veteran's PTSD is attributable to his service in the Korean War.

The Board found that the Veteran's current acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is not linked to his military service and denied the claim.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD) are being remanded due to the need for further administrative efforts to confirm his reported combat service in Korea. A VA examination is also required to determine if these conditions are related to his active service.

The Board has ordered a remand due to the need for an addendum opinion regarding whether the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability pre-existed service and was aggravated during service. The case will be returned to the AOJ for further development.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional records and further development of the claims.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, obstructive sleep apnea, an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as PTSD), and hypertension have been reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. The criteria for service connection are met for all four conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a Travel Board hearing and issuance of an SOC on several issues. The claims of service connection for acquired psychiatric disorder, right knee arthritis, left knee arthritis, lumbar spine disability, and bilateral hip disability are currently before the Board.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary in order to adjudicate the Veteran's claims, including obtaining VA treatment records and verifying his alleged stressor. The case will be remanded for these purposes.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, and migraine headaches were denied as there is no evidence of a nexus between the claimed conditions and his active service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, anxiety disorder with depression, schizophrenia and personality pattern disturbance, paranoid personality, claimed as mental and anger disability. The appeal is also denied regarding his increased rating for hiatal hernia with GERD in excess of 10 percent.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder and residuals of a gunshot wound to the left foot are due to his own willful misconduct, specifically alcohol abuse. Therefore, service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a diagnosed left knee disability, and his service-connected lumbar spine and cervical spine disabilities do not meet the criteria for higher ratings. The Veteran's tinea pedis is rated appropriately, as are his hearing loss and CTS. His acquired psychiatric disorder, right ankle condition, and head injury with headaches and myofascial pain syndrome do not warrant increased ratings. Finally, the Board has determined that the Veteran meets the criteria for TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Board found that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, schizoaffective disorder, did not meet the criteria for service connection as it is not related to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including schizophrenia, personality disorder, anxiety, depression, PTSD, and bipolar disorder, is being remanded due to the need for additional evidence and a VA examination.

The Board has determined that further development is needed to address the Veteran's claim for service connection for schizophrenia, including addressing lay statements and opinions from his family members. The case is being remanded for a new medical opinion.

The Board found that any acquired psychiatric disorder is neither related to service nor related to service-connected hepatitis, and therefore denied the Veteran's claim for service connection.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, claimed as an anxiety disorder, was not incurred in or aggravated by service and is not proximately due to or the result of any service-connected disability.

The Board found that the Veteran's seizure disorder and schizophrenia were not caused or aggravated by his service, nor may they be presumed to have been incurred in or aggravated by service. Therefore, service connection for both conditions was denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to failure to obtain service treatment records from Mannheim Army Hospital in Germany. The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is now before the Board.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and examination of K.B. to determine if he was permanently incapable of self-support before his 18th birthday, and for issuance of a SOC regarding J.B.'s helpless child benefits claim.