Acquired psychiatric disorder Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including an addendum opinion from a VA examiner regarding the etiology of the Veteran's psychiatric disorder and whether it is related to service.

The Board denied service connection for a back disorder and an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding no new and material evidence to reopen the claims and concluding that there is no causal relationship between current conditions and active duty service.

The Veteran requested that the appeal be withdrawn regarding his claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability.

The Board has granted service connection for a C-section scar and lumbar spine disability. The claim for acquired psychiatric disabilities, including PTSD and depression, is substantiated but the issue of bilateral lower extremity disability (peripheral neuropathy) remains pending.

The Veteran has been diagnosed with depression, adjustment disorder, and insomnia related to his military service. His sleep disorder is also related to his military service in the Southwest Asia theater of operations during the Persian Gulf War.

The Board found that the Veteran's death certificate and service records confirmed his exposure to combat events during service. However, there is no medical evidence meeting DSM-IV criteria for PTSD. The VA examiner ruled out a diagnosis of PTSD based on DSM-IV.

The Veteran's appeal was granted, with a maximum schedular evaluation of 50 percent for posttraumatic headaches effective from April 13, 2007. The Board also found that referral for an extraschedular evaluation under 38 C.F.R. § 3.321(b)(1) is not warranted in conjunction with the service-connected posttraumatic headaches. Additionally, a TDIU was granted.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders other than PTSD were not incurred or aggravated by active service, and the Board finds that his claims for these conditions are denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions and VA examinations.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, to include PTSD, finding that his claims were not supported by credible evidence and that his recollections of events during service were inconsistent.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn due to the request for withdrawal of all claims on appeal.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's schizophrenia began during or within one year of his first period of service, and thus grants service connection for schizophrenia.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for PTSD, but denied it due to lack of a diagnosis in accordance with DSM-IV criteria. The Veteran's other psychiatric condition remains pending.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain updated medical records and conduct a new VA examination. The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected paranoid type schizophrenia will be reconsidered after the additional development.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's previously denied claim for service connection for schizophrenia and is granting this aspect of his appeal. The issue of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than schizophrenia (PTSD) remains on hold as it was not addressed in the original decision.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased evaluations are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations, treatment records, and a review of SSA records.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient information about the Veteran's claimed in-service stressors, and thus, service connection for PTSD cannot be determined at this time.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, hypertension, headaches, and a respiratory disorder have been denied as new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the claims.

The Veteran's appeal was denied as his claims for service connection were not substantiated by the evidence of record. The Board found that there was no direct or secondary service connection for any claimed conditions.

The Board has reopened the previously denied claims of service connection for diabetes mellitus and hypothyroidism, but has determined that these claims are not granted on their merits.