Acquired psychiatric disorder Board decisions

The Board denied service connection for schizophrenia and PTSD, finding the evidence insufficient to establish a link between current conditions and service.

The Board denied the veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date of March 4, 1996 for a 70 percent schedular rating for schizophrenia and a total rating based on individual unemployability.

The veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is being remanded due to the need for additional personnel records and VA medical records.

The Board has determined that the veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder developed during service and is therefore granted service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran's paranoid schizophrenia warrants a 100 percent disability rating due to total social and industrial inadaptability.

The veteran's claim of service connection for a psychiatric disability is well-grounded and the appeal to this extent is allowed. The case is remanded in order to afford her an examination.

The veteran's claim for specially-adapted housing or a special home adaptation grant is denied because he does not meet the criteria for financial assistance in acquiring these benefits.

The Board found that the veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders preexisted her entry into service and did not worsen during or because of her active duty. The low back disorder was also not shown to be incurred in or aggravated by service.

The veteran is competent for VA purposes and the appeal is granted.

The Board found no clear and unmistakable error in the April 20, 1973 rating decision. The veteran's schizophrenia is currently rated at 70 percent, but does not meet criteria for a higher rating prior to July 23, 1998.

The Board has determined that the veteran continues to be incompetent for handling disbursement of funds due to his mental condition, specifically paranoid schizophrenia.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for hypertension and a psychiatric disorder, finding that there was no well-grounded evidence supporting these claims.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims of service connection for a psychiatric disorder and gastroesophageal reflux disease are not well grounded. The evidence does not support a finding of current disability or a link between any such disabilities and service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that there is no evidence of a chronic acquired psychiatric disorder in service or one that was aggravated by service. The veteran's pre-existing psychiatric symptoms were noted prior to his entry into active duty and continued after separation from service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's schizophrenia, undifferentiated type, warrants a 70 percent evaluation for the period prior to January 14, 1995 and a 100 percent evaluation for the period on and after January 14, 1995.

The Board finds that it is reasonably possible that the veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder developed during service and grants service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for a total rating based on unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board found that the veteran's preexisting acquired psychiatric disorder was aggravated by active service, and granted his claim for service connection.

The Board found that the appellant's claim for service connection for pes planus is not well grounded due to lack of competent evidence linking current findings to service.,For the psychiatric disorder, excluding PTSD, the Board also found it not well grounded as there was no competent medical evidence linking post-service findings to service. However, the Board noted that the appellant's pre-existing PTSD likely increased in severity during active service.

The case is being remanded to obtain the veteran's complete personnel records and VA mental health records. The RO will then re-adjudicate the claim for an acquired psychiatric disability.