Acquired psychiatric disorder Board decisions

The Veteran's schizophrenia, paranoid type, is rated at a 70 percent disability rating effective February 10, 2011.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disability, including schizophrenia and depression, is being remanded due to the need for additional development of his medical records and an examination.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, bipolar affective disorder with psychotic features, and schizoaffective disorder. However, the claim remains denied as the preponderance of the evidence does not support service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for heart disorder, hypertension, residuals of a stroke, acquired psychiatric disorder (to include depression), and shortness of breath. The evidence did not establish direct service connection for these conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for schizophrenia and depression, hypertension, erectile dysfunction, and sleep apnea due to internal inconsistencies in the psychiatric examination. The claim of service connection for PTSD is also remanded for a new VA examination.

The Board found that the Veteran's PTSD was not incurred in service and did not manifest within one year of separation, thus denying service connection for PTSD. For psychiatric disability other than PTSD, the Board concluded there is no evidence to support a finding that any such condition was related to service.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, but it remains denied as new and material evidence was not provided to substantiate the claim.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD and granted service connection for chondromalacia of the right knee. The psychiatric claim was remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding the onset or etiology of any diagnosed psychiatric disorder.

The Board found that the evidence does not support a diagnosis of PTSD or any other acquired psychiatric disorder (other than a phobia disorder) for service connection purposes, thus denying the claim.

The Board finds that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder (diagnosed as a major depressive disorder) pre-existed his military service and was not aggravated by active service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to incomplete medical opinions and need for additional development.

The Veteran's schizophrenia has resulted in total occupational and social impairment throughout the period on appeal, warranting a 100 percent disability rating.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, and psychotic disorder (claimed as schizophrenia), finding that there was no evidence to support a diagnosis of PTSD and noting that his current mental health status is not related to service.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including obtaining an addendum opinion from a qualified examiner to address the Veteran's employability due to his service-connected disabilities and other factors.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for scheduling a video conference hearing at the nearest VA facility to her current residence in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to fully and fairly consider the merits of the Veteran's claims, including obtaining relevant records from SSA, providing a VA examination for headaches, neck condition, and PTSD, and determining whether service connection should be granted.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for PTSD, finding that there was no evidence indicating a claim prior to April 30, 2007.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed, including obtaining records from the Social Security Administration and VA, scheduling a VA examination to assess the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, and reviewing the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is being remanded due to inconsistencies in her reported events and the need for a VA examination to determine if she meets the criteria for a PTSD diagnosis and whether any behavior changes may be indicative of a personal assault.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, was denied as there is no evidence of a verified stressor and the Veteran does not meet the criteria for PTSD.