Acquired psychiatric disorder Board decisions

The Veteran's claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, is being remanded due to the need for additional development including obtaining service personnel records and a VA examination.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to his failure to appear for a previously scheduled Board hearing. He has requested another hearing and good cause has been established.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for an increased rating for degenerative disc disease of the lumbosacral spine and service connection for PTSD, hypertension, peptic ulcer disease, and hepatitis C.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining a VA addendum opinion and providing VCAA notice regarding secondary service connection.

The Board found that the Veteran's paranoid schizophrenia is not related to service and denied his claim.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a psychiatric disability due to inconsistencies in his statements and military records, as well as potential exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. The Veteran will be provided an opportunity for a VA examination to determine if any of his psychiatric disabilities are related to or had their onset during service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran withdrew his appeal for an increased initial rating for diabetes mellitus. The claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder was denied as there is no medical evidence showing a causal link between the Veteran's current psychiatric disability and any in-service disease or injury.

The Board finds that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for service connection of PTSD. The VA examiner concluded that the Veteran did not meet at least two of the DSM-IV criteria for a diagnosis of PTSD and instead diagnosed him with anxiety disorder, NOS. The Veteran's symptoms are more consistent with his post-service period.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD, paranoid schizophrenia, and major depressive disorder, are related to his service. As such, the claim for service connection is granted.

The Veteran's appeals have been dismissed due to his death. The Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of these claims.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, an acquired psychiatric disorder including PTSD, a right knee disorder, and a left knee disorder are all granted. The Veteran does not have ratable hearing loss but his hearing has worsened more than 10 dB from his entrance to his exit physical at least at one of the ratable frequencies.

The Board denied the Veteran's request to reopen his claim for service connection for depression, finding that no new and material evidence had been submitted.

The Veteran's appeals for increased rating and TDIU have been dismissed as he has withdrawn his appeal.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's reported in-service personal assault stressor is credible and has granted service connection for PTSD. The diagnoses of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are also supported by the evidence.

The Board found that the Veteran's schizoaffective disorder and schizophrenia were not incurred in or caused by his service, but did not find sufficient evidence to grant service connection for PTSD. The claim was denied as there is no credible evidence of a stressor related to service.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeal regarding the issues of hepatitis C, residuals of a stroke, cervical spine disability, and psychiatric disability. The Board does not have jurisdiction to decide these matters.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, and granted it. The decision also addressed his claim for GERD as secondary to his psychiatric condition.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development including a VA psychiatric examination, treatment records retrieval, and scheduling of a Travel Board hearing.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the claims of entitlement to service connection for low back disability and acquired psychiatric disability, however diagnosed. The claim for PTSD is reopened.

The Veteran's recurrent major depression, schizoaffective disorder, and paranoid schizophrenia resulted in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.