Acquired psychiatric disorder Board decisions

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have residuals of a neck injury incurred in service and denied his claim for this condition. The issue of service connection for psychiatric disability is addressed in the REMAND portion of the decision.

The Board has denied the claims for service connection for Type II diabetes mellitus, diabetic retinopathy (claimed as a visual disability), erectile dysfunction, and hypertension. The claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder (claimed as depression) remains pending.

The veteran's low back disability is rated at 40 percent, but the Board finds no evidence of pronounced intervertebral disc syndrome or ankylosis. The TDIU claim has been granted retroactively to February 9, 1989.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining medical records and verifying service dates. The veteran's claims for psychiatric disability, cardiovascular disability, and diabetes mellitus are pending.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of SSA records and potential destruction of service records, requiring further development.

The veteran is seeking an increased rating for his service-connected schizophrenia, which is currently rated at 50 percent. The claim has been remanded due to the veteran's failure to report for a scheduled VA examination and because of the need to obtain private treatment records from Dr. Coleman.

The Board found that the veteran's current psychiatric disorder was not incurred in or aggravated by service and denied his claim.

The Board found that the veteran does not have a current acquired psychiatric disorder related to his military service.

The veteran's claim for a special monthly pension based on the need for regular aid and attendance from another person was denied as he is not blind, in a nursing home, or unable to perform his daily activities without assistance.

The Board denied the veteran's claims to reopen his PTSD and chronic schizophrenia claims, finding that no new and material evidence was submitted.

The Board has granted service connection for a major depressive disorder, finding that it is related to the veteran's service-connected disabilities. The claim for left knee disability remains pending as there are no current medical findings of a specific left knee disability.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disability, and that the evidence of record is sufficient to establish entitlement to service connection for schizophrenia.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, to include PTSD, as there is no medical diagnosis of PTSD and no competent evidence of a nexus between any current psychiatric disability and service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records from various facilities and attempting to obtain SSA disability records.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and procedural corrections, including providing notice to the veteran regarding new and material evidence for his claim of service connection for residuals of a left ankle injury. The issue of service connection for schizophrenia is also being addressed.

The Board finds that the veteran's substantive appeal was not timely filed and thus, the October 1997 rating decision denying service connection for a psychiatric disorder is final.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claims for residuals of injuries to the back, neck, left shoulder, and head. However, it denied reopening his claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder due to lack of evidence showing a current disability related to service.

The Board is remanding the case to ensure proper notification and assist in determining whether new evidence has been submitted to reopen a claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disability.

The veteran's appeal is remanded to the RO for further development and readjudication, including clarification of his representation status and obtaining any additional evidence pertinent to the claim.

The veteran's PTSD is rated at 30 percent disabling since July 3, 2000. However, the VA determined that his service-connected disability alone does not preclude him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.