Acquired psychiatric disorder decisions — 2018

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for schizophrenia/schizophreniform disorder but denied the claims for scoliosis and residuals of a mild stroke or TIA, as well as heart condition. The Veteran's mental health issues are related to her military service, while her current stroke and heart conditions do not have a clear link to her service.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and a back/neck disability. The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional development.

The Board is remanding the case for further action on two issues: an earlier effective date for service connection for schizophrenia, paranoid type and a claim of secondary service connection for insomnia. The Veteran must file a formal claim form to pursue these matters.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied. The Board found that new and material evidence had not been received to reopen the cervical spine disability and bilateral upper extremity radiculopathy claims, and that there was no evidence of a nexus between the disabilities and service or a service-connected disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have PTSD and an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include schizophrenia, did not manifest during service or is etiologically related to active service.

The Board finds that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of an acquired psychiatric disorder, and thus cannot establish service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, to include PTSD and as secondary to service-connected asbestosis, is being remanded due to the need for additional evidence and a medical opinion.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and an acquired psychiatric disorder (to include PTSD) due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for headache, cervical spine, and lump on the neck disorders have been dismissed. The appeal for service connection of a psychiatric disorder has also been denied.

The Board denied service connection for a psychiatric disorder and denied an increased rating for lumbar spine DDD. The appellant's thoracolumbar DDD is currently rated as 40 percent disabling, but the evidence does not support a higher rating.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD and MDD) is found to be due to his military service. The RO granted a rating of 60 percent for IHD effective July 27, 2011.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD and anxiety disorder NOS, but the skin disorder claim remains pending as new evidence suggests possible service connection due to Agent Orange exposure. The rating assigned and effective date are not applicable in this decision.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including schizophrenia and psychosis, is found to have begun during service and has been continuous since then. The Board grants the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of his claims, particularly regarding his service-connected coronary artery disease, acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD), and left shoulder disorder.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, to include depression, was withdrawn. The Board also denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for adenocarcinoma of the prostate, status post prostatectomy, as a result of exposure to herbicides due to lack of evidence of such exposure.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD. The evidence is in equipoise as to whether his current diagnoses are related to military service.

The Board has granted service connection for a bilateral foot disability and an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that the Veteran's current disabilities are related to his active service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the relationship between his service-connected knee disabilities and his claimed low back disorder and psychiatric disorder. The TDIU claim is also affected by these issues.

The Veteran's acquired schizophrenia is found to be aggravated by his period of service, and the current severity is greater than baseline. The residuals of a stroke are not determined to have been caused or aggravated by service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of the record.