Acquired psychiatric disorder Board decisions

The Board finds that the evidence does not support a finding of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder or a low back disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a psychiatric disorder, lumbar spine disorder, or hypertension that was incurred or aggravated in service. The claim for vision disorder is denied as it did not develop during service and is not related to any service-connected disability.

The Board has determined that further development of the record is necessary to comply with VA's duty to assist the Veteran in the development of facts pertinent to his claims, including obtaining SSA records and private treatment records. The case will be remanded for these actions.

The Board has remanded the case due to issues related to scheduling a VA examination for the Veteran's psychiatric disorder. The appeal is currently in a pending status.

The Veteran's claims for a compensable initial disability rating for bilateral hearing loss, service connection for a psychiatric disorder (including PTSD), and service connection for a stomach disorder (including GERD) are being remanded due to the need to obtain VA treatment records and provide the Veteran with required notice regarding his allegations of military sexual trauma.

The Board found that the Veteran's reported in-service sexual assault stressor has not been verified and does not meet the criteria for service connection due to lack of credible supporting evidence. The Veteran was diagnosed with a personality disorder in service, which is considered non-service-connected, and he does not have a currently diagnosed acquired psychiatric disorder related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including schizophrenia and depression, cannot be granted as there is no evidence of a disease or injury incurred during his honorable period of service from September 1981 to September 1984.

The Board has determined that the character of the Veteran's discharge from service is not a bar to receiving VA benefits, and thus he qualifies as a 'veteran' for purposes of VA benefits.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and nonservice-connected pension benefits are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a new VA psychiatric examination.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA medical records and personnel files. The claims for service connection will be reconsidered based on the new evidence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is not related to his service, and thus denied this claim. The spine disability claim remains pending.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for a low back disability and granted it. The Veteran's tinnitus is also found to be related to his military service, and he was granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition (including PTSD and depression) as secondary to his service-connected pulmonary sarcoidosis.,Service connection for these conditions has been established.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a bilateral eye condition, migraine headaches, and an acquired psychiatric disorder. The decision found no current residual disability due to the in-service eye injury and ruled out causation of the Veteran's headaches by the in-service incident.,Service connection was not granted as secondary to any service-connected condition.

The Veteran's cold injury residuals were granted effective January 23, 2007. The rating assigned is 30 percent for both the left and right feet prior to this date.

The Board found that the Veteran's service connection claims for various disabilities, including PTSD and diabetes mellitus type II, were not supported by the evidence of record.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining service personnel records and a VA examination to address the nature and etiology of any currently-diagnosed psychiatric disorder. The appellant's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder will be adjudicated again based on the additional evidence.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim of reopening his service connection for a lumbar spine disability and has determined that it is at least as likely as not that his current lumbar spine disability was incurred in active military service. The issue of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder remains pending.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and hemorrhagic fever, finding that new and material evidence had not been received sufficient to reopen the claims.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for further development due to outstanding VA treatment records and verification of claimed stressors.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's schizophrenia pre-existed service and was aggravated by service. The case will be returned to the AOJ for further consideration.