PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2012

The Board has remanded the case for further development regarding the Veteran's claimed in-service stressors and a VA psychiatric examination to determine if his current psychiatric disorders are related to service.

The Board has granted service connection for a chronic acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, finding that the Veteran's symptoms are related to his experiences during active service.

The Veteran's PTSD was productive of symptoms of occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity due to various symptoms, but without impairment in most areas or complete occupational and social impairment.,An initial rating of 50 percent for PTSD from February 27, 2008, to December 4, 2008 was granted.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and schizoaffective disorder. The Veteran's current treatment records support his claims.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The claim for tinnitus was not addressed as it is already at the maximum schedular rating. The PTSD claim resulted in a higher initial rating, but the issues of reopening left knee and right knee disorders, bilateral hearing loss, cardiac disorder, breathing problem, and chronic fatigue with joint conditions remain unresolved.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional VA examination and treatment records, as well as readjudication of his claim.

The Veteran's PTSD was found to have caused occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks from October 6, 2006, to March 29, 2007. From March 30, 2007, to April 29, 2008, the Veteran's PTSD caused more severe impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, major depression, PTSD, hypertension with CAD, chronic fatigue syndrome, and bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran's conditions are found to be related to his military service.

The Veteran's PTSD was rated at 70 percent effective October 21, 2009. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating prior to this date.

The Veteran's sleep apnea and COPD are found to be aggravated by his service-connected PTSD, warranting service connection for these conditions.,Service connection is granted for the Veteran's sleep apnea and COPD due to their aggravation by his service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's PTSD was granted an increased rating to 70 percent effective November 30, 2009.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for acquired psychiatric disorder, right leg disorder, left hip disorder, hearing loss, and respiratory disorder. The low back strain claim was also denied as it did not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Veteran does not have any of the claimed conditions that were caused or aggravated by her service, or a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's death was caused by his service-connected PTSD, which led to alcohol abuse and liver cancer. The Board grants the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death.

The Board has remanded the case due to missing VA records and requests for Social Security Administration (SSA) records, as well as the need to obtain relevant ongoing treatment records from VA medical centers.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining mental health records and a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's psychiatric disorder. The examiner will assess whether the Veteran's claimed stressors are adequate to support a diagnosis of PTSD and whether his symptoms are related to those stressors.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and consideration, including obtaining additional medical records and providing an opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's psychiatric disabilities and their relationship to service and/or his death.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's PTSD and GERD are service-connected based on direct evidence of a link between his in-service experiences and current conditions.

The Veteran's claim is being remanded due to the need for additional records and a VA examination. The issue of an initial rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD will be addressed after resolving any other issues, including service connection for depression.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, and tinnitus. The increased ratings for peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity, peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity, hypertension, and autonomic neuropathy of the gastrointestinal tract with complications of small bowel obstruction are also granted.