PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2011

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining private medical records and a VA examination to assess his PTSD symptoms. The TDIU claim also requires the issuance of an SOC.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining records from SSA, seeking authorization for certain medical records, and arranging for a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's psychiatric disability (including PTSD) and low back disability are related to service.

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms have been rated at 70 percent since January 5, 2007. The effective date for this rating is set as of that same day. His claim for TDIU has also been granted.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD caused nicotine addiction, which contributed to his death from metastatic small cell cancer. The Board finds that the service-connected disability (PTSD) substantially or materially contributed to the cause of death.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is characterized by significant social and occupational impairment, including suicidal thoughts, depression, anxiety, recurrent nightmares, and difficulty with memory. The current rating of 70% reflects the severity of these symptoms.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, effective from January 14, 2008.

The Veteran died of pneumonia and colorectal cancer, with PTSD listed as a significant condition contributing to his death. The Board found no service connection for the conditions that caused his death.

The Veteran's PTSD resulted in mild occupational and social impairment from March 10, 2009 onward. The Board granted a 10 percent disability rating for this period.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining SSA records and VA treatment records. The claim will be re-adjudicated after these actions.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD and TDIU are being remanded due to incomplete development of the record, including obtaining Marine Corps unit records and a copy of the NIS report.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is found to be sufficiently severe to produce unemployability, warranting a TDIU effective May 26, 2002.

The Veteran's PTSD has been granted and assigned a 30 percent evaluation, effective from December 4, 2007.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination for PTSD, issuance of a statement of the case on service connection claims for hypertension, prostatitis with erectile dysfunction, renal stones, and a renal cyst, and obtaining additional relevant records.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is granted, and the TDIU issue is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection and a higher combined evaluation was denied. The Board found that the correct effective date is February 22, 2005, and his current combined evaluation of 40% is appropriate.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 30 percent, effective from February 29, 2008. Prior to this date, the disability was not found to warrant a higher rating.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, is being remanded due to the need for additional development and consideration of new evidence.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 30 percent for PTSD was denied, as his symptoms did not meet the criteria for a higher rating. The Veteran's service-connected PTSD resulted in occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform tasks.

The Veteran's PTSD and migraine headaches were granted initial ratings, but the scar of the upper back was only granted a compensable rating. Service connection for hearing loss and shoulder condition was denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for reopening his service connection claim for hearing loss and for an increased rating for PTSD. The decision found that new and material evidence had not been presented to reopen the hearing loss claim, and there was no CUE in the May 2005 denial of service connection for hearing loss. For PTSD, the Veteran's current disability level is denied.