Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2017

The Veteran's psychiatric disability, including PTSD and anorexia nervosa, was not incurred or aggravated by service. The left knee disability is secondary to the right knee condition. Service connection for the initial rating in excess of 10 percent for internal derangement right knee, status post partial lateral meniscectomy, is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's schizophrenia is likely to have begun during his service and continues today, resolving all reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board found no current diagnosis of PTSD or other acquired psychiatric disorders, and thus denied the Veteran's claim for service connection.

The Board is remanding the case for additional development, including obtaining SSA and service personnel records. The Veteran's claim will be reconsidered based on the new evidence.

The Board found that there is no evidence of a cervical spine disability or an acquired psychiatric disorder during service, and the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his active duty. Therefore, service connection for these conditions was denied.

The Board finds that the Veteran's depressive disorder is proximately due to or the result of service-connected disease or injury, and his back disability was incurred in active military service. Therefore, both conditions are granted as secondary to service-connected disabilities.

The Board previously granted service connection for anxiety disorder. As the issue of an acquired psychiatric disorder is encompassed by this grant, and a full grant of benefits has been implemented, no case or controversy remains within the Board's jurisdiction.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of cold weather injury to the left foot and an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD. The claim for residuals of cold weather injury to the left foot was not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence. The claim for PTSD was denied as there is no current diagnosis in accordance with DSM criteria.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, did not have its clinical onset in service and is not otherwise related to active duty. The heart disorder is also not proximately due to or aggravated by a service-connected disorder.

The Board has expanded the Veteran's claim to include an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and schizoaffective disorder. The weight of the competent, probative evidence does not establish service connection for PTSD, but finds that there is as likely as not a relationship between current symptoms and reported combat-related in-service stressors.

The Board found that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and major depressive disorder, was not shown to be etiologically related to his active service. The claim for service connection is denied.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, dysthymic disorder, and adjustment disorder. The Veteran's claimed stressors were conceded, but the evidence did not meet the diagnostic criteria for a current diagnosis of PTSD.

The Board found that the Veteran's variously diagnosed psychiatric disorder did not meet or approximate the criteria for a 100 percent rating prior to May 22, 2012. Therefore, an effective date earlier than May 22, 2012, for the award of a 100 percent rating is denied.

The Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and there is no evidence of a service connection for the cause of death or any psychiatric condition.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including schizophrenia and PTSD, is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and stressor verification.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for right foot disability and psychiatric disability due to insufficient evidence or procedural errors. The current rating of 10 percent for right foot disability is maintained prior to May 24, 2017, but increased to 20 percent as of that date.

The Board has remanded the case for a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed acquired psychiatric disability, including schizophrenia.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining service hospital records and VA treatment records. He is also to be scheduled for VA examinations to determine the etiology of his back disability, left leg disability, and acquired psychiatric disabilities.

The case is being remanded for further development to obtain SSA records and outstanding treatment records. The Veteran's claim will be readjudicated, including on the basis of unemployability.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and service personnel records. A VA psychiatric examination is needed to address the nature and etiology of any current psychiatric disorders, with a focus on PTSD and in-service assault trauma.