Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2017

The Veteran's service-connected schizophrenia resulted in a permanent and total disability effective September 1, 1992. The appellant is now eligible for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits due to the Veteran's death.

The evidence does not show the Veteran is unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hepatitis C is not attributable to his period of active service and therefore denied the claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the case for scheduling a videoconference hearing and notifying the Veteran of the date, time, and location of this hearing.

The Board denied service connection for hepatitis C due to a lack of evidence linking the condition to service, including inconsistent accounts of in-service blood exposure. Service connection was also denied for an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as PTSD) due to the appellant's assertion that it resulted from the Veteran's own willful misconduct.,The Board found no credible evidence supporting the Veteran's claims of in-service blood exposure and concluded his assertions were inconsistent with the available medical records.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD and depression, is found to be related to his military service.,It is also determined that the Veteran's headaches are secondary to his service-connected PTSD.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining a VA examination and etiology opinion regarding service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder. The issue of whether clear and unmistakable error (CUE) is present in a February 2009 rating decision that denied service connection for a left ankle disorder remains pending.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to incomplete medical records, particularly those from post-1991 treatment. The Veteran is asked to provide authorization for VA to obtain his private mental health treatment records.

The Veteran's PTSD is found to be incurred in service, while the acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD is not related to service. The TDIU claim remains pending.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine prior to December 3, 2007 was denied as there was no evidence showing that forward flexion was 30 degrees or less.

The Veteran's asthma, acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD, anxiety, and depression), back disability, cervical spine disability, heart disability, bilateral ankle disability, left foot disability, right foot disability, bilateral hip disability, bilateral knee disability, and bilateral shoulder disability are not service connected. The Veteran's tinnitus and hearing loss were found to be aggravated by service.

The Board has granted service connection for various conditions, including sleep apnea and TBI. The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, neck disorder, tinnitus, left shoulder disorder, hypertension, low back disorder, and erectile dysfunction are all found to be related to his military service. Service connection is also granted for the extension of a temporary total evaluation due to right shoulder surgery.

The Board has ordered the case to be remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA medical records and scheduling examinations for psychiatric, lumbar, and cervical spine disabilities. The Veteran is also required to complete a VA Form 21-8940.

The Board found that the Veteran did not have current PTSD caused by a verified in-service stressor and his diagnosed psychiatric disorder was not related to service.

The Board has determined that there was clear and unmistakable error in the September 1982 rating decision denying service connection for a nervous condition, which resulted in the grant of service connection for paranoid schizophrenia. The claim to reopen the previously denied claim for service connection for paranoid schizophrenia is dismissed.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for hepatitis C, diabetes mellitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and major depressive disorder) prior to the Board's decision.

The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for a confirmed diagnosis of PTSD and thus denied service connection for this condition. The claim was also denied for other acquired psychiatric disorders as there is no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran seeks a TDIU prior to March 15, 2010. The RO denied the claim as his service-connected schizophrenia did not meet the threshold percentage rating requirements for a TDIU under 38 C.F.R. � 4.16(a). However, the Board found that even when the criteria under 38 C.F.R. � 4.16(a) are not met, entitlement to a TDIU on an extraschedular basis may be considered if the Veteran is unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation due to service-connected disabilities. The case was remanded for referral to the Director, Compensation Service, for consideration of entitlement to a TDIU prior to March 15, 2010, on an extraschedular basis.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development to address whether the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including schizophrenia, is related to his military service. The Veteran alleges that he experienced harassment and isolation during his time in Germany.

The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including persistent depressive disorder and anxiety disorder. The Veteran's tinea versicolor was rated at a 10 percent disability rating effective November 1, 2010.