Acquired psychiatric disorder Board decisions

The Board has determined that the veteran's current schizophrenia, diagnosed as an acquired psychiatric disorder, was incurred in service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has directed the RO to issue a statement of the case (SOC) regarding whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen the veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. The veteran is advised that he must respond to the SOC if he wishes to continue his appeal.

The veteran's claims for service connection were denied across multiple issues, including his psychiatric disorder, diabetes mellitus, retinopathy, peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, right knee disorder, left knee arthritis, lumbar spine condition, cervical spine condition, lung disease (asbestosis), and hypertension. The Board found that new evidence did not reopen his claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder but denied all other claims.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD and schizophrenia, finding that the veteran did not engage in combat with the enemy and his reported stressors were not corroborated. The claim for a psychiatric disability other than PTSD was remanded.

The Board is remanding the case for further development and readjudication due to a lack of Social Security Administration records relevant to the veteran's claim.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral sties, an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as chronic adjustment disorder), and a skin condition due to palmar/plantar pustular psoriasis and onychomycosis. The veteran's service records do not show any indication of sties during military service.

The Board found that the veteran's current acquired psychiatric disorder was not incurred in active duty and did not become aggravated beyond a normal progress of the disorder during service.

The veteran's compensation benefits were properly reduced to the 10 percent rate, effective April 13, 2003, based upon his incarceration.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than February 28, 2003 for his TDIU due to service-connected disability. The RO granted a 70% rating for paranoid schizophrenia and TDIU with an effective date of February 28, 2003.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations of gastritis and a psychiatric disorder are being remanded to the RO for additional development, including determining whether separate ratings should have been assigned in January 1969.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has determined that the veteran's psychiatric disorder is not related to his service-connected disability, and thus denied the claim.

The Board found that the veteran's schizophrenia existed prior to his military service and did not increase in severity during his active duty. Therefore, it was determined that the condition was not incurred or aggravated by service.

The Board found that the veteran does not have an acquired psychiatric disability attributable to military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's psychiatric disorder is not related to service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board found that the veteran does not have PTSD and a chronic acquired psychiatric disorder was not present in service or until many years thereafter. The current psychiatric disability is not etiologically related to service, and the alcohol abuse is not etiologically related to any service-connected disability.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, diabetes mellitus, and a liver disorder due to exposure to Agent Orange. The evidence did not substantiate the veteran's claimed stressors or current diagnoses of these conditions.

The Board found that new and material evidence had not been submitted, thus the claim to reopen service connection for a psychiatric disability remains denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an effective date prior to February 27, 1997, for a total rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for service connection for residuals of a head trauma, acquired psychiatric disability, bunions, left hip disability, and low back disability. The evidence did not support a link between these conditions and her military service.

The veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, which meets the criteria for a higher evaluation. His bilateral hearing loss does not warrant an increased rating.