PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2010

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 70 percent, which approximates the criteria for a 70 percent rating. The evidence supports this rating as it demonstrates significant occupational and social impairment due to symptoms such as frequent panic attacks, difficulty in understanding complex commands, impaired judgment, and disturbances of motivation and mood.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated as 30 percent disabling under the General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders. The evidence does not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation, with occasional decreases in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks.

The Board has recharacterized the issue on appeal as one for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD. The Veteran's claim is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination to clarify whether he currently suffers from any acquired psychiatric disorders (other than PTSD) that had their onset in service or are otherwise related to his period of active duty.

The Veteran's PTSD is service-connected as it was caused by stressors that occurred during his military service. The other conditions were not found to be service-connected.

The Veteran's PTSD was manifested by depression, frequent intrusive and distressing thoughts, flashbacks, frequent nightmares, survivor guilt, sleep disturbance, fleeting eye contact, a flat affect, severe social withdrawal, exaggerated startle response, sudden and unpredictable outbursts of rage, and difficulties with short-term memory, attention, concentration, and processing of information during periods of anxiety. He was suffering from at least occasional suicidal ideation, had great difficulty working closely with others, had problems with authority, sometimes left work due to stress, felt groggy as a result of psychiatric medications, and managed his symptoms with alcohol. The Veteran missed several weeks of work as a result of PTSD.

The Veteran's PTSD was not manifested by total social and occupational impairment prior to January 16, 2002.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 50 percent since September 24, 2003. The Board found that a higher rating of 70 percent is warranted based on the severity of his symptoms and occupational/social impairment.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining additional VA and private treatment records, conducting a VA psychiatric examination to assess the severity of the Veteran's PTSD, and readjudicating the claim.

The Board has ordered a remand to determine if the Veteran's preexisting PTSD and/or major depressive disorder were aggravated by her active service, and for an opinion on whether she is entitled to service connection for these conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD and major depressive disorder due to inadequate reasons and bases provided in the previous decision. The case is now pending further development.

The Board found no clear and unmistakable error in the May 1998 rating decision that granted service connection for PTSD with specific evaluation periods.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD and an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, to include depression, is denied as there is insufficient evidence of a verified in-service stressor.

The Board has remanded the case for further development to try and corroborate the appellant's claimed stressor of a fellow servicemember committing suicide in service, including obtaining unit records and hospital records.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is manifested by no more than occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity due to various symptoms, warranting a 50 percent rating.

The Veteran's claim for an initial staged rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD, effective from March 25, 2003, is remanded due to the need for additional evidentiary development.

The Veteran's PTSD was found to not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 70 percent, as his symptoms did not reach the level of total occupational and social impairment required by the criteria.

The Board has granted service connection for major depressive disorder, but denied service connection for post-traumatic stress disorder. The issue of an earlier effective date for non-service-connected pension benefits is remanded.

The Board has remanded the case for a videoconference hearing before a Veterans Law Judge, as the docket permits. The Veteran's claims on appeal will be further developed and reconsidered.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination to assess the impact of his service-connected PTSD and other disabilities on his employability.

The Veteran's appeal for increased PTSD was denied, and his claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus and prostate cancer due to exposure to Agent Orange were not addressed as they are being remanded.