PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2012

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected PTSD. The case will be readjudicated after this additional development.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for PTSD and service connection for hearing loss was denied. The Board found that the psychiatric disability resulted in occasional decrease in work efficiency but not reduced reliability and productivity, while the hearing loss did not onset during service or have a causal relationship with service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD, finding that his credible account of fear of attack while working in an ammunition dump during his time in Vietnam is sufficient to establish the occurrence of the claimed stressor.

The Board has determined that a VA examination is needed to assess the Veteran's psychiatric and neurological conditions, as well as determine if service connection should be granted for these conditions. The case will be returned to the RO for further action.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is being remanded due to the need to consider her current psychiatric disabilities, including somatoform disorder, dysthymic disorder, depression, and bipolar disorder. The case will be re-adjudicated as a claim for any acquired psychiatric disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, finding that there was no verified stressor to support these claims.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 50 percent, reflecting significant occupational and social impairment. His diabetes mellitus is rated at 20 percent, with the need for oral hypoglycemic agents but no regulation of activities.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (PTSD, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss) do not render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Board has granted a 70 percent rating for the service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder, to include anxiety disorder, NOS, and adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood. The decision also addresses the issue of TDIU.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, but the evidence does not support a higher rating or a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Veteran's PTSD was granted service connection and assigned a 30 percent disability rating effective May 23, 2007. The appeal is mixed as the Veteran still has symptoms warranting a higher evaluation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's reported in-service stressors are sufficient to support a diagnosis of PTSD, and thus service connection for PTSD is granted.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD. The underlying claims for left shoulder disability and residuals of a broken arm remain pending.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 50 percent since January 2008, and the Board finds that a higher evaluation is not warranted. The Veteran also meets criteria for TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including obtaining service treatment records and a VA examination.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 30 percent, the minimum rating for this disability. The symptoms described do not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher evaluation.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining recent VA treatment records and scheduling a new examination.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating of PTSD was denied, and the claim for TDIU based on PTSD is also not granted.

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 additional development of his claims file.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are of such severity as to preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.