PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2011

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and PTSD have been granted. The Veteran is currently assigned a 70 percent evaluation for his PTSD.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's case is remanded for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and VA treatment records. The Veteran will be scheduled for a VA examination to assess his employability due to service-connected disabilities. If deemed necessary, the case will then be referred to the Director of Compensation and Pension Service for extra-schedular consideration.

The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the diagnostic criteria for PTSD and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for major depressive disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, and antisocial personality disorder have been denied as there is no evidence of an in-service onset or aggravation of these conditions. The claim for bipolar disorder was also denied due to lack of a link between service and the condition.

The Veteran's prostate cancer residuals are rated at 40%, and his PTSD is rated at 30%. His bilateral hearing loss remains at 20%.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, but the Board finds that it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating. The Veteran has demonstrated some symptoms of reduced reliability and productivity due to his PTSD, such as difficulty adapting to stressful circumstances and interpersonal relationships, but these do not warrant a higher rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current PTSD with a depressive disorder is service-connected, as it was incurred during his active duty in Vietnam.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a diagnosis of PTSD and his acquired psychiatric disorder, characterized as schizophrenia, is not attributable to service.,The Board has also determined that the Veteran's back disorder is not attributable to service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is being remanded due to the need for a comprehensive VA examination and additional development of his treatment records.

The Veteran's service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder, which includes PTSD, major depression, and alcohol dependence, is currently rated at 50 percent. The rating reflects occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity due to symptoms such as flattened affect, panic attacks more than once a week, difficulty understanding complex commands, and impaired judgment.

The Board found that the Veteran did not engage in combat and his claimed stressors were not verified. Therefore, he does not have PTSD related to service.

The Veteran's PTSD and hypertension have been found to meet the criteria for a TDIU, effective August 25, 2004.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Depression.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is manifested by difficulty in establishing and maintaining effective work and social relationships, disturbances of motivation and mood, and impairment of short-term memory. The criteria are not met for an evaluation in excess of 50 percent.

The Board has granted a 70 percent disability rating for PTSD. The Veteran's appeal also includes an application for TDIU, which was not addressed by the RO. The Court ordered further action to determine if the Veteran raised a claim for TDIU and whether he is unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities.

The case is being remanded for further development to determine the etiology of the Veteran's current psychiatric disabilities and whether they are related to service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is being remanded due to the need to verify stressors and consider the liberalized regulations regarding fear of hostile military or terrorist activity. The case will be reconsidered after any necessary development.

The Board has determined that the appellant may have experienced stressors related to his service aboard the USS Coral Sea, and a VA psychiatric examination is needed to determine if PTSD was caused by these in-service events. The case will be remanded for further development.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for PTSD, which was previously denied in June 2004. The Veteran's claim is now pending on its merits.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 50 percent since April 13, 2005. The Board finds that the current rating adequately reflects the severity of his service-connected PTSD.