PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2011

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, and the claim for a higher rating was denied. The residual scarring above his left eye was not found to be service-connected.

The Veteran's PTSD resulted in near-continuous anxiety and depression, along with difficulty adapting to stressful circumstances at work. The VA rating criteria for PTSD accurately reflect the severity of his disability.

The Veteran's PTSD has been found to cause total occupational and social impairment, warranting a disability rating of 100 percent effective October 2009.

The Veteran's PTSD and bilateral pes planus were found to be related to his service, with the pes planus being aggravated by service.

The Board found that the March 1993 and September 1993 rating decisions denying service connection for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder were not clearly and unmistakably erroneous. The Veteran's claim of increase for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder is remanded due to lack of recent VA mental health evaluation records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for an increased rating for PTSD due to outstanding VA treatment records and a need for a more contemporaneous VA examination. The matter is also referred to the RO for consideration of extra-schedular considerations.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and PTSD are being remanded due to the unavailability of his service records. The VA is instructed to attempt to obtain additional evidence regarding the in-service stressor event for PTSD.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for PTSD and finds that new evidence supports a current diagnosis. The Veteran's in-service experiences are recognized, but no specific stressor is linked to his PTSD. No skin disability was found due to lack of service records or medical evidence.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA outpatient treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of his PTSD. The issue of TDIU will also be addressed.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder, right hip arthritis, and secondary service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder are being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was denied, but his reduction in disability rating from 30% to 0% for chronic sinusitis with allergic rhinitis was granted. The appeal is mixed as it includes both a denial and a grant of benefits.

The Board found that the February 2002 decision granting service connection for morbid obesity was clearly and unmistakably erroneous due to the lack of a link between PTSD and obesity. As a result, the grant of SMC based on this decision is also considered incorrect.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 30 percent since the initial grant of service connection, and there is no evidence to warrant a higher rating based on current symptomatology.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining relevant medical records and conducting a VA psychiatric examination to determine the nature, onset date, and etiology of any current psychiatric disorder(s), specifically whether PTSD is present and related to service.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD has been rated at 70 percent since January 26, 2007. This rating is based on the criteria for a disability due to occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.

The Board has granted service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected depression with PTSD symptoms, resolving all reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's PTSD is manifested by suicidal and homicidal ideations, impaired impulse control, intermittent disorientation, memory loss, some difficulty in remembering to complete activity of daily living, resulting in significant but not total social and occupational impairment. The Board finds that a 70 percent initial rating for PTSD is warranted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and likely etiology of his skin disability. Service connection for PTSD will be considered as part of this expanded claim.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including the provision of a VA examination to assess the severity of his PTSD and bilateral hearing loss. The TDIU claim has also been raised by the record.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for consideration of his claim in light of additional evidence received since the January 2011 statement of the case, and for issuance of a supplemental statement of the case reflecting such consideration. A new VA examination is also required due to worsening symptoms.