PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2011

The Board has remanded the case for issuance of a statement of the case on the issue of entitlement to an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for PTSD. The issues will be readjudicated after the RO adjudicates this issue and any other pending claims.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 70 percent, but the Board finds that his symptoms do not warrant a higher rating as they are consistent with a GAF score of 51.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded to the RO for further development, including obtaining updated VA and private treatment records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of PTSD related to his in-service stressor and therefore denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's hypertension is found to be secondary to his service-connected PTSD. The effective date for the 70% rating for PTSD remains November 9, 2000.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, cervical spine disability, and lumbar spine disability were denied. The claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for the residuals of a fractured right thumb was also denied. The Veteran's request to reopen his previously denied claims for cervical and lumbar spine disabilities did not meet the criteria for reopening.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for clarification of the April 2008 VA medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from engaging in substantial gainful employment.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was granted with an effective date of November 30, 1998. The skin disorder claim remains pending.

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms have caused moderate difficulty in establishing and maintaining effective social relationships, but do not present such an unusual disability picture so as to warrant referral for extra-schedular consideration. The Veteran is therefore entitled to a 50 percent evaluation for his PTSD.

The Veteran's service connection claim for a psychiatric disorder, including depression and PTSD, is granted. The appeal concerning sleep apnea has been withdrawn.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development to assess the severity of his PTSD throughout the appeal period and to consider any new evidence added since the last supplemental statement of the case.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent effective March 29, 2004.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and an examination to determine if his service-connected disabilities prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination and consideration of the amended version of 38 C.F.R. § 3.304(f)(3).

The Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, pes planus/flat feet, and a back disorder and scoliosis were all dismissed. The claim for PTSD was granted due to the submission of new and material evidence.

The Veteran's posttraumatic stress disorder was found to not warrant ratings higher than the assigned ones before and after October 3, 2008.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, effective from September 22, 2004. The evidence does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining VA medical records and Social Security Administration (SSA) records. A VA examination will be arranged to determine the nature and etiology of any current psychiatric or cognitive disability.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD, finding that the Veteran's current diagnosis of PTSD is due to disease or injury incurred in active service.