PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2009

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for PTSD is being remanded due to the need for a VA psychiatric examination.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is rated at 70% since April 29, 2004. The Court remanded the case for further development and consideration.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including PTSD, thyroid disease or injury, psoriasis of skin, retinopathy, and asbestos-related disease. The decision found that the Veteran was not credible regarding his in-service experiences and did not meet the criteria for service connection.

The Veteran's PTSD causes occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas, but does not cause 'total' occupational and social impairment. The Veteran is therefore entitled to a disability rating of 70 percent for his PTSD since December 6, 2008.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to inconsistencies in the Veteran's service record and concerns about the reliability of a previous medical opinion.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD (claimed as depression with stress), is being remanded due to the need for additional development of evidence regarding in-service stressors and a VA examination.

The Veteran's PTSD is found to be related to his military service. His left knee disorder and bilateral hearing loss are not found to be related to his military service.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection of PTSD due to new evidence, but finds that there is no current diagnosis of PTSD and thus cannot grant service connection.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including verification of stressors related to PTSD and a VA examination for hearing loss.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 50 percent, the maximum schedular rating available. The RO found that his PTSD symptoms are indicative of moderately severe impairment in occupational and social functioning.

The Veteran's PTSD was rated at 30 percent disabling since January 12, 2004. The RO granted an increased rating to 70 percent effective from June 6, 2009.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining employment records and a medical opinion regarding his employability due to PTSD.

The Veteran's PTSD was rated at 10 percent prior to January 2, 2004 and increased to 50 percent effective from that date. The Board found the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating in either period.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not encompass any disability of the eyes or upper extremities, and his lower extremity conditions are not severe enough to qualify for specially adapted housing or a special home adaptation grant.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on his symptoms, which included depression, anxiety, limited affect, difficulty forming emotional ties, social isolation tendencies, intrusive thoughts and flashbacks, nightmares, impaired sleep, anger, avoidance, irritability, and hypervigilance.

From May 8, 2006 to April 5, 2007, the Veteran's PTSD caused occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks.,Since April 6, 2007, the Veteran's PTSD caused reduced reliability and productivity but not deficiency in most areas.

The Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for PTSD is being remanded due to the failure to appear at his scheduled Travel Board hearing. The issue will be reconsidered after further development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus are due to service exposure. The appeal is granted.

The Veteran's service connection claims for PTSD, major depression, bilateral foot disorder, headache disorder, and heart disorder (atriial fibrillation) have been granted. The bilateral foot disorder claim is denied as not being related to service. The headaches are considered a pre-existing condition that was not aggravated by service.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for PTSD has been dismissed as the Veteran requested withdrawal of the appeal.