PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2012

The Veteran's initial ratings for PTSD and bilateral hearing loss were denied. The Veteran's PTSD is rated as 30 percent disabling, while his bilateral hearing loss remains noncompensable.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA examinations and opinions regarding his acquired psychiatric disorders, diabetes mellitus, type 2, hypertension, and skin disorder. The amended PTSD regulations are also to be considered.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to assess the impact of his service-connected disabilities on his employment and daily activities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an increased disability rating for PTSD and TDIU, with the effective date of service connection remaining at July 29, 2005.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD and found that new evidence supports this reopening. The Board also determined that there is no credible evidence of a stressor related to service, thus denying service connection.

The Veteran's appeals have been dismissed as he has requested that the issues be returned to the RO for reconsideration.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination to assess the current severity of his PTSD. The claim will be reconsidered after this additional development.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including scheduling an appropriate compensation examination and obtaining updated psychiatric treatment reports.

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

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for pes planus, PTSD, and a compensable evaluation for laceration scar over the left eyebrow. The Veteran did not have PTSD, and his claim for service connection for psychiatric disability other than PTSD is addressed in a separate remand.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 30 percent, and the Board has remanded the case for further development to determine if a higher rating is warranted.

The Veteran's PTSD has been characterized by symptoms such as nightmares, flashbacks, intrusive memories, hypervigilance, difficulty concentrating, irritability, auditory hallucinations, social avoidance, and trouble sleeping. For the entire increased rating period, these symptoms have resulted in occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas, warranting a 70 percent disability rating.

The Veteran's claim for nonservice-connected pension was withdrawn. The Board found that asthma is not etiologically related to active service and denied the claim of entitlement to TDIU due to her service-connected PTSD and major depressive disorder NOS.

The Veteran's PTSD did not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 50 percent at any time prior to November 8, 2010.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for schizophrenia due to new and material evidence. The claims for PTSD, phlebitis/venous insufficiency, brain disorder, right hip scar, and right hip disorder have been denied.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and examination to determine if the Veteran's current psychiatric disorders are related to his military service, including any confirmed or claimed stressors.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, other than PTSD, is not related to service and therefore denied his claim.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD, major depression, and depressive disorder NOS as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected sensory neuropathy of the lower extremity disabilities.

The Board finds that the appellant likely has posttraumatic stress disorder resulting from a personal assault during military service and grants this claim.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder are not shown to have been present in service or for many years thereafter. The Veteran does not currently suffer from a clinically-identifiable posttraumatic stress disorder.