Acquired psychiatric disorder Board decisions

The veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have an acquired psychiatric disorder related to her military service and therefore denied her claim for service connection.

The veteran's service-connected paranoid-type schizophrenia was rated at 30 percent prior to October 25, 2005 and at 70 percent from that date. The Board found the evidence did not meet criteria for a higher rating prior to October 25, 2005 but did find it met criteria for a 100 percent rating after that date.

The veteran's request for waiver of recovery of overpaid compensation benefits is granted because the overpayment was caused by his fault, and recovering it would defeat the purpose of paying VA service-connected disability compensation benefits.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of a head injury and psychiatric disorder, finding that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen the claim for residuals of a head injury. The Board also found no evidence linking any current psychiatric disorder to service.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete medical records and need for further psychiatric examination.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, finding that there was no medical nexus between his current findings and service.

The veteran's claim for increased ratings for her service-connected disabilities has been granted. She is now rated at 40 percent for chronic lumbosacral fibromyositis with left L4-S1 radiculopathy and degenerative joint disease, effective from the date of the decision. For cervical fibromyositis with right C6 radiculopathy, she receives a 30 percent rating prior to May 19, 2003, and a 40 percent rating since that date.

The Board found that the veteran's schizophrenia did not substantially contribute to his death from respiratory failure and pneumonia. The cause of death was listed as respiratory failure due to pneumonia, which is unrelated to service-connected conditions.

The veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions have been withdrawn.

The Board found that the veteran's current acquired psychiatric disorder, including schizophrenia, was not incurred or aggravated during military service and denied his claim.

The Board denied the reopening of the veteran's claim for service connection for paranoid schizophrenia, finding no new and material evidence to support it.

The veteran's benefits are granted for his minor children, but a special apportionment is denied due to the appellant not demonstrating financial hardship.

The Board found that hypertension was not incurred in or aggravated by active service and denied the claim. The issue of entitlement to service connection for schizophrenia remains pending.

The Board has determined that the claims for service connection for schizophrenia and PTSD need further development due to insufficient information regarding the stressors claimed by the veteran.

The Board denied the reopening of a claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including schizophrenia. The evidence did not show that the veteran's current condition was incurred in or aggravated during his active military service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a VA psychiatric examination to determine if the veteran currently has PTSD and whether his bipolar disorder is related to his service-connected seizure disorder.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for psychiatric disability, which was previously denied in February 1982. The reopened claim is now granted.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and hearing loss. The Board found no competent evidence to associate current hearing loss with in-service events or diseases, including a head injury sustained during active duty.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for a Travel Board hearing at the Newark, New Jersey RO. The claims for service connection are pending and will be addressed after the hearing.