PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2011

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development of his VA treatment records and a more current VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran has been diagnosed with PTSD and depressive disorder, which are found to be related to his military service. The Board finds that the evidence supports a grant of service connection for these conditions.

The Board has determined that additional development of the claims, including verification of stressors and obtaining private medical records, is necessary before a final decision can be made on the service connection claims.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for PTSD is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including gathering of private and VA treatment records, providing Dingess compliant notice, scheduling a VA examination, and ensuring compliance with newly enacted regulations.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for the ratings of 30 percent and 70 percent for PTSD were denied as they cannot be granted due to the final nature of previous decisions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a new VA examination to assess his PTSD and an evaluation of his ability to work. The issue of TDIU will also be developed.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for PTSD is being remanded due to the need for a Travel Board hearing.

The Board determined that the Veteran does not have an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, and his claimed stressors are not supported by credible evidence. Therefore, service connection for any psychiatric disability is denied.

The Board has ordered a remand for the Veteran's claim of service connection for PTSD due to incomplete examination and lack of etiology opinion.

The Veteran is granted service connection for PTSD, right knee arthritis and medial meniscus tear, left knee arthritis and lytic lesion, and low back degenerative joint disease.,Service connection has been established for all issues on appeal.

The Veteran's PTSD is not shown to have been manifested by symptoms productive of impairment greater than occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas, resulting in a 70 percent rating. The claim for a schedular 100 percent rating for PTSD was denied.

The Board found that the Veteran's PTSD and anxiety disorder did not warrant a higher disability rating, as his symptoms were consistent with a 30 percent evaluation.

The Veteran's PTSD has been productive of occupational and social impairment, reduced productivity, disturbances of motivation, and difficulty maintaining effective social and work relationships, but without a showing of deficiencies in most areas. The current rating of 50 percent is appropriate.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling a new examination to assess his current PTSD symptoms and medication use.

The Veteran's PTSD with secondary depression and alcohol abuse resulted in occupational and social impairment, but did not meet the criteria for a higher disability rating.

The Veteran's PTSD was initially rated at 10 percent prior to March 22, 2010. The VA examiner found that the Veteran had occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need to locate additional VA treatment records, obtain a new C&P examination for PTSD, and provide the Veteran with an opportunity to file a statement of the case regarding his TDIU claim.

The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for service connection for PTSD due to a lack of verified in-service stressors and insufficient medical evidence linking current symptoms to those stressors.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, effective March 3, 2006. The Board finds the evidence in equipoise regarding whether a higher rating is warranted.

The Veteran's posttraumatic stress disorder is currently rated at 30 percent, and the Board finds that this rating adequately reflects his disability level.