Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2017

The Board has granted service connection for a heart disability and an acquired mental disorder, finding that the Veteran's conditions are at least as likely as not related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus. Service connection was also granted for low back disability secondary to right knee disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and MDD, as well as his liver disorder, are not service-connected.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is denied as he does not have a valid diagnosis of PTSD consistent with DSM criteria.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, not including PTSD, to include anxiety, cognitive disorder NOS, depressive disorder NOS, depressive neurotic reaction and major depression recurrent with psychotic features, claimed as secondary to a service-connected right elbow disability is denied. The Board finds that the in-service stressor has not been verified.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and updated VA medical records.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were granted, and a 10 percent rating was assigned. The issues of entitlement to increased ratings and earlier effective dates are addressed in the REMAND portion of this decision.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's seizure disorder and acquired psychiatric disorder (including schizophrenia) are not related to his military service, and therefore denied both claims.

The Veteran is seeking an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for schizophrenia, paranoid type. The Board has found that June 13, 1974 is the appropriate effective date as it was the filing date of his original claim for service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's request to reopen and continued denial of his claim for entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include schizophrenia. The evidence received since the November 2005 rating decision does not provide a basis for reopening the claim.

The Board has ordered additional development due to the need for a medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's psychiatric disorder. The case will be remanded and reviewed again after the completion of this development.

The Board has remanded the case to obtain updated medical opinions regarding the Veteran's current psychiatric and seizure disorders, as well as to determine if service connection can be established for these conditions. The Veteran will need to provide a correct mailing address so that he can schedule the necessary examinations.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, hypertension, sleep apnea, left carpal tunnel syndrome, a neck disability, and an acquired psychiatric disorder as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected knee disabilities.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have PTSD and did not meet the criteria for service connection due to lack of a valid diagnosis in service or during the appeal period.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim of service connection for schizophrenia, finding that his symptoms during and after service are consistent with this condition.

The Veteran's claims of entitlement to a compensable evaluation for service-connected left thumb strain, status post old fracture deformity first metacarpal bone, entitlement to a compensable evaluation for service-connected bilateral hearing loss, and entitlement to special monthly compensation based on the need for regular aid and attendance of another person have been dismissed due to withdrawal by the Veteran.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is being remanded for further examination and opinion to determine if it is related to service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and Social Security Administration records. The Veteran's claims of service connection for PTSD, left lower extremity neuropathy, right lower extremity neuropathy, and TDIU are still pending.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, to include PTSD, bipolar disorder, and depression is dismissed. The Board finds that the Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding this issue during a hearing before the Board in October 2016. Service connection for a thoracolumbar spine disability is denied as there is no evidence linking the current condition to service.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, to include depression, is dismissed. The Veteran's claim for an increased rating of 50 percent for PTSD from January 8, 2004 to April 27, 2014 is denied. The effective date for the grant of TDIU is set at January 8, 2004.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination. The issue of service connection for a psychiatric disorder remains pending.

The Veteran's claim to reopen the service connection for schizophrenia has been granted. However, the issue of whether new and material evidence was submitted to reopen the claim for other psychiatric disorders remains unresolved.,Service connection for a psychiatric disorder other than schizophrenia is not currently addressed in this decision.