PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2011

The Veteran's PTSD is related to service and the Board has granted entitlement to service connection for PTSD.

The Board has denied the claims for service connection for arthritis of lumbosacral spine and PTSD due to a lack of evidence showing an in-service injury or disease, and no credible link between current disability and service.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is rated at 30 percent, and the Board finds that a higher rating of 50 percent is warranted based on his symptoms. The other conditions are currently rated appropriately.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a VA examination to assess his current level of impairment and determine whether he has both total occupational and social impairment.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD, finding that the Veteran's claimed in-service stressors are related to his fear of hostile military activity and are consistent with his service. The other issues were not addressed as they did not involve service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA and private treatment records, scheduling a PTSD examination, and adjudicating the TDIU issue.

The Board has determined that the effective date for the grant of service connection for PTSD is March 10, 1997.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's PTSD is related to a verified in-service stressor involving personal sexual assault, and therefore grants service connection for PTSD.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and other mental health conditions, is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and a VA examination.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to incomplete records and further examination.

The Veteran's PTSD was initially rated at 10 percent, then increased to 30 percent effective June 8, 2006. The current rating of 30 percent is maintained.

PTSD has been rated at 30 percent since November 13, 2003, and increased to 70 percent effective September 6, 2007.,The Veteran's PTSD resulted in occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, reflecting significant impairment in occupational and social functioning.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 50% effective May 11, 2010. The VA examiner found the Veteran to have occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity due to symptoms such as flattened affect, impaired judgment, disturbances of motivation and mood, difficulty in establishing and maintaining effective relationships.

The Board has granted service connection for chronic PTSD and a depressive disorder, finding that these conditions are secondary to inservice sexual harassment.

The Board found that the Veteran's death was not caused by or substantially contributed to by a disability incurred in or aggravated by his active duty service. The criteria for DIC under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318 were also not met.

The Veteran's PTSD has been manifested by occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity due to symptoms such as depression, anxiety, irritability, and social isolation. This meets the criteria for a 50 percent rating prior to June 16, 2010.

The Veteran's appeal is currently in remand status due to the need for additional examinations and development of his claims.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder to include PTSD and depression, as new and material evidence has been received. However, on de novo review, the claim is denied because there is no evidence that any current acquired psychiatric disorder is related to service or to any event therein.