PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2011

The appeal has been withdrawn by the appellant through his authorized representative before the Board could make a decision.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is found to be a contributory cause of his death due to a motorcycle accident. The appellant is granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death and denied entitlement to death pension benefits.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, claimed as PTSD, is being remanded due to changes in the regulations regarding stressor development. Further examination and opinion are needed to determine if a sufficient in-service stressor exists and whether any diagnosed psychiatric disorders are related to service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for further development, including obtaining medical records and determining whether the Veteran was insane at the time of his assault in February 2002. The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disability remains pending.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the Director of Compensation and Pension for consideration of an earlier effective date for TDIU under VA policy, as his claim was implied throughout the process.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and conducting a psychiatric examination to determine if any current psychiatric disabilities are related to service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings, service connection, and total disability rating based upon individual unemployability were denied. The claim to reopen a skin rash was previously denied in December 1981 and May 1994.

The Veteran's initial claim for an increased rating for PTSD has been granted, but the RO needs to schedule a VA examination and obtain additional medical records before making a determination on his current disability level.

The Veteran's PTSD is manifested by nightmares and flashbacks, but there is no evidence of impaired thinking, panic attacks or memory impairment. The Board finds the medical findings more probative than the Veteran's allegations regarding the severity of his PTSD.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of service connection for PTSD has been denied as there is no evidence of a diagnosis or treatment prior to May 5, 2009.

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

The Board has determined that the Veteran's PTSD is productive of occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity, warranting a 50 percent disability evaluation since November 17, 2008.

The Board has determined that a VA examination is necessary to determine whether the Veteran suffers from PTSD as a result of his military service in Iraq, and the claim is being remanded for this purpose.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to a scheduling issue for a hearing. The issues of service connection and special monthly pension are addressed in separate decisions.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU is being remanded due to the need for additional evidence and an examination to determine his employability.

The Board has granted service connection for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) due to personal assaults that occurred during the Veteran's active duty service.

The Board has granted a TDIU based on the appellant's service-connected disabilities. The appeal for higher evaluations of bilateral hearing loss disability, peripheral neuropathy of the right and left lower extremities, and peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities is remanded.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including scheduling of a VA examination to determine the severity of his PTSD and its impact on his employability. The issue of service connection for Parkinson's disease will also be addressed.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD with depressive disorder was not shown to cause occupational and social impairment prior to November 23, 2010. For the period from November 23, 2010, it did not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 50 percent.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete service personnel records and lack of verification for certain stressors. The Veteran's PTSD claim will be reconsidered with additional evidence.