Acquired psychiatric disorder Board decisions

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder and a right shoulder disorder, finding no new and material evidence had been submitted to reopen his previously denied claims. The case is being remanded for further development.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, finding that the Veteran's condition clearly and unmistakably pre-existed service and was not aggravated in active service beyond natural progression.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a bilateral ankle disability, migraine headaches, and an acquired psychiatric disability (including PTSD, depression, and dysthymic disorder). The appeals were not successful as new and material evidence was not provided to reopen these claims.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection of a lower back condition, bilateral knee condition, and PTSD. The claim for PTSD is granted as there is credible supporting evidence of an in-service personal assault.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and a respiratory disorder are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including VA examinations.

The Board has determined that the Veteran is not competent to manage his own funds due to his schizophrenia, and thus cannot receive direct payment of VA benefits.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated treatment records and medical opinions regarding his service-connected disabilities and their impact on his ability to work.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and alcoholism as secondary to a pre-existing condition should be remanded due to incomplete records, including missing service treatment records and personnel records. The Veteran is asked to provide information about his medical history prior to military service.

The Veteran's son is eligible for Chapter 35 education benefits due to his legal disability and the appellant was unable to enroll in a course of study due to psychiatric issues. The Board grants extension of basic eligibility beyond February [redacted], 2012.

The Board found no evidence of current or chronic tonsillitis, and the Veteran's lay statements regarding his throat pain were not competent medical evidence. The VA examiner concluded there is no objective evidence to substantiate a current or chronic tonsil disability. There is also no currently diagnosed psychiatric disorder related to service.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus is presumed to have been incurred in service due to Agent Orange exposure. The Board finds that the Veteran was exposed to herbicides, including Agent Orange, during his active duty in Thailand and Vietnam.

The Board found that the Veteran did not submit new and material evidence to reopen his claims for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, back disorder, and stomach disorder. The evidence submitted by the Veteran was deemed insufficient to establish a relationship between any current disability and active service or a service-connected condition.

The Board has determined that the submitted evidence is not new and material, as it does not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim of service connection for a psychiatric disorder other than PTSD.

The Board found no evidence of a chronic psychiatric disorder in service and denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, as well as his claim for a sleep disorder. The Veteran's current psychiatric disorders are considered to be related to post-service substance abuse.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression, was not incurred in or aggravated by service and is unrelated to a service-connected disease or injury. The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to engage and retain substantially gainful employment.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and schizophrenia, finding that the evidence did not support a link to military service.

The Board found that the Veteran's psychiatric disorders did not develop during her military service and were not related to any in-service events or conditions. The claim for service connection was denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including right knee and left knee disabilities, chest pain, back disability, night sweats, a psychiatric condition (claimed as sleeping problems), cervical spine disability, right shoulder disability, jaw pain, and hearing loss were denied. The Board found no evidence of current disabilities or associations with service.

The Board found that there was insufficient evidence to establish a verified stressor and therefore denied service connection for PTSD. The Veteran's other diagnosed conditions (nonspecific psychosocial stress, depression, and bereavement) were not related to his military service or a service-connected disability.