Acquired psychiatric disorder Board decisions

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, muscle tension headaches, and a tumor of the jaw. The RO also denied his claims for new and material evidence regarding skin disorders due to Agent Orange exposure and an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board denied the veteran's claim to reopen his claim for an effective date prior to October 5, 1990, for a 100 percent evaluation for paranoid schizophrenia. The evidence submitted was not considered new and material.

The veteran's neuropsychiatric disability is rated at 100 percent, the highest possible rating. The right renal calculus with microhematuria is rated at noncompensable (0 percent).

The Board found that the appellant did not establish veteran status for purposes of his claims of service connection for residuals of a head injury and an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board found that the veteran did not have a blood transfusion during service and concluded that his liver disorder, status post liver transplant, is not related to any inservice blood transfusions. Therefore, he does not have legal entitlement to service connection for these conditions.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for his acquired psychiatric disorder, which includes conversion disorder and somatization disorder with strong depressive features, is being remanded due to the receipt of additional evidence.

The Board has denied the appellant's claims of service connection for residuals of a right knee injury, residuals of a back injury, a mental disorder, and hypoglycemia as there is no competent medical evidence linking these conditions to his periods of active duty training or inactive duty training.

The veteran died of arteriosclerotic heart disease, which was not related to his service-connected paranoid schizophrenia. The appellant's claim for DIC benefits is denied.

The veteran's claim for a specially adapted automobile and/or adaptive equipment is pending due to the inextricability of the service connection issue. The case is remanded to complete the process on both issues.

The Board found that the claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder was not well grounded due to a lack of clinical evidence linking the symptoms to the veteran's period of service.,The Board also determined that the claim of right shoulder dislocation was not well grounded as there was no medical evidence demonstrating a nexus between the current condition and the veteran's active service.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, after reviewing the veteran's claims and obtaining additional records.

The veteran's psychiatric disability, currently diagnosed as Asperger's disorder and previously diagnosed as schizophrenia, meets the criteria for a 50 percent evaluation.

The Board determined that the veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, was not well grounded due to a lack of medical evidence of a current diagnosis and no nexus between the claimed condition and service.

The Board has granted service connection for various conditions, including tinnitus, malignant melanoma of the left shoulder, basal cell carcinoma of the face, skin rash (acne), abdominal disorder (diverticulitis), headaches, acquired psychiatric disorder (depression), residuals of right nephrectomy, cyst of the liver and gallbladder, tingling of the lower extremities, a disorder of the left eyelid with associated loss of vision, residuals of stress fractures of the left tibia and ribs, and chest pain. The ratings for these conditions have not been assigned yet.

The Board denied service connection for the veteran's left knee disorder and psychiatric disorder, finding that the evidence did not support a well-grounded claim.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for paranoid schizophrenia due to new and material evidence. However, there is no definitive evidence linking the current psychiatric disorder to service or a concussion. The claim for residuals of a concussion remains unresolved.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of active military service records and an unclear claim for PTSD. The appellant's claims will be reviewed again with additional information about his service and stressors.

The Board is remanding the case to consider new evidence submitted by the veteran and determine if it constitutes new and material evidence to reopen his claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder.

The veteran's schizophrenia is currently rated at 30 percent, and the Board found that an increased rating was not warranted based on the current evidence.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the claim of service connection for a psychiatric disorder. The veteran's condition is considered to be due to his pre-existing personality disorder, which existed prior to enlistment.