PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2012

The Board has determined that the Veteran's PTSD more closely approximates occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity, warranting a 50 percent disability rating.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 70 percent disabling, effective October 13, 2009. The claim for an earlier effective date was granted.

The Veteran's appeal for higher initial ratings for PTSD and prostate cancer has been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeal with respect to these issues. The TDIU issue remains.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 70 percent, effective from January 24, 2008. The VA examiner found the Veteran to have symptoms consistent with total occupational and social impairment due to his service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 30 percent prior to August 22, 2011. The TDIU claim was denied prior to May 20, 2011.

The Veteran's PTSD has been productive of occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas, such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood from November 13, 2006 to August 5, 2009. A higher disability rating of 70 percent is granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development and consideration of his claim for TDIU due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are of the severity to render him unable to obtain and maintain substantially gainful employment, warranting a grant of TDIU.

The Veteran's PTSD is related to service and the Board has granted entitlement to service connection for PTSD.

The Board denied the appellant's claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, and compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for left shoulder disability due to a lack of credible evidence linking any current diagnoses to in-service events or stressors.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a diagnosed disability of PTSD and his psychiatric symptoms are better explained by other diagnoses such as major depressive disorder and paranoid personality disorder. Therefore, service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder was denied.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 70 percent, the maximum schedular rating available. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a higher disability rating.

The Board has determined that a VA medical opinion is needed to address the relationship between the Veteran's service-connected PTSD and his death. The claim will be remanded for this purpose.

The Veteran meets the schedular requirements for a TDIU but his service-connected disabilities do not, singly or in combination, preclude him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and scheduling VA examinations to evaluate his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for a personal hearing before a Veterans Law Judge (VLJ) at the RO. The case will be returned to the Board after the hearing.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and postural tremors associated with PTSD, are found to be sufficient for a TDIU due to the severity of his symptoms. The issue of an increased rating for postural tremors associated with PTSD is remanded.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent effective May 12, 2009. The Board finds that the evidence supports a higher rating due to severe impairment in occupational and social functioning.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for certification for automobile and adaptive equipment or adaptive equipment only due to his inability to use his lower extremities, despite having significant disability.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is currently evaluated at a 50 percent rating, which reflects occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.