Acquired psychiatric disorder Board decisions

The Board has determined that the May 5, 1986 rating decision reducing the veteran's 70 percent rating for paranoid schizophrenia to 10 percent was clearly and unmistakably erroneous.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current lung disorder, a mild restrictive ventilatory defect, can be considered to have been incurred or aggravated in active service and is granted service connection.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for service connection for schizoaffective disorder and also considered whether prior determinations in January and February 1951 involving a denial of service connection for neuropsychiatric disorders involved clear and unmistakable error. The decision is final as to the earlier determinations, but does not address the current claim for service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an evaluation in excess of 50 percent for his paranoid schizophrenia, finding that the symptoms described did not warrant a higher rating.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current psychiatric disability, diagnosed as organic brain syndrome, did not have its onset during military service or within a year thereafter. Therefore, the claim for service connection is denied.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the veteran's claim of service connection for a psychiatric disability. The evidence provided does not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim.

The Board found that the January 1999 rating decision contained clear and unmistakable error in assigning an effective date of February 24, 1994 for the grant of service connection for schizophrenia. The earliest possible effective date is granted as January 1, 1980.

The Board found no evidence of a chronic vaginal disorder or psychiatric disability related to service. The veteran's PTSD was not diagnosed and is denied.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations of hypertension and left knee disorder are denied. The claim for service connection for psychiatric disorder is reopened, but the new evidence does not establish a relationship to service. The claim for service connection for left optic atrophy remains denied as no new and material evidence has been presented.

The Board found that the veteran did not have a psychiatric disorder in service or within one year of separation, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Board found that the appellant's acquired psychiatric disability existed prior to his military service and was not aggravated by his active duty for training (ACDUTRA) or inactive duty training (INACDUTRA). Therefore, service connection is denied.

The veteran is seeking service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder. The claim will be remanded to allow for further development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination.

The veteran's degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine is granted service connection. Parkinson's disease, hand and body tremors (not related to Parkinson's), and an acquired psychiatric disability are denied as not incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Board has remanded the case due to new evidence submitted by the veteran and a need for further consideration of his claim.

The veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, was denied as there is no objective evidence of an in-service stressor sufficient to support a diagnosis of PTSD and the veteran does not have a current psychiatric disorder related to his military service.

The Board denied service connection for schizophrenia, finding that the veteran's mental problems did not manifest within a year of discharge and were not related to active service.

The veteran has withdrawn their appeal, so the case is dismissed.

The Board has determined that an effective date of July 28, 1983 for the grant of service connection for schizophrenia is granted.

The Board found that the cause of the veteran's death, cirrhosis of the liver due to alcohol use, was proximately due to his service-connected schizophrenia. The appellant's claim for DIC under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318 is dismissed as there is no potential for additional benefit under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been presented to reopen the veteran's claims for service connection for chronic post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and a chronic acquired psychiatric disorder. The veteran's application is granted.