PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2012

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability related to his service.

The Board has determined that the evidence is at least in equipoise regarding the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome and a psychiatric disability, including PTSD and major depressive disorder. Service connection is granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional evidence, including SSA disability benefits award letter and related medical records.

The Board has granted a 70 percent evaluation for PTSD, effective March 27, 2009. The appellant's service-connected PTSD is manifested by occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking or mood.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine if his service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's appeal for higher evaluations and TDIU due to PTSD was denied. The initial evaluation for PTSD prior to July 10, 2012 is found not to meet the criteria for a 50 percent rating. For the period from July 10, 2012 onwards, no staged evaluation in excess of 50 percent is warranted.

The Veteran is seeking a TDIU based on service-connected PTSD, major depressive disorder, substance abuse, psychoneurosis anxiety, and conversion. The case must be remanded to obtain additional VA treatment records, specifically the September 2010 VA psychiatry examination report.

The Veteran's PTSD resulted in occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas from September 17, 2003 to October 4, 2010, warranting a 70 percent rating.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining VA examination reports and medical records to address the etiology of his psychiatric disorders and the severity of his duodenal ulcer.

The Veteran's PTSD has been manifested by occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity, warranting a disability rating of 50 percent.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions did not contribute to his death from cardiac arrest and diabetes. The Board found that PTSD was not the cause of death, but rather a contributing factor.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disability other than PTSD.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disability, to include PTSD, is granted as his claimed stressors are found credible and related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to incomplete records and the need to obtain additional information from the Dallas Vet Center and SSA.

The Veteran's claim for PTSD was initially denied in 1983, but the effective date of service connection is now set to September 13, 1982, based on a finding that the current diagnosed PTSD is related to the condition he claimed in his initial 1982 claim.

The Veteran's PTSD was granted service connection and assigned a 30 percent disability rating effective June 12, 2006. The appeal is for an increased rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD, major depressive disorder, and panic disorder without agoraphobia, are related to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD and mood disorder, not otherwise specified, are currently rated at 30 percent. The Board has determined that the evidence supports a higher rating of 50 percent.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, and TDIU was denied. The Veteran's PTSD did not meet the criteria for a higher rating due to occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.

Service connection was denied for bilateral hearing loss disability.,Effective from April 19, 2007, service connection was granted for PTSD with a 70% rating and effective TDIU based on PTSD was granted.,The Veteran's only service-connected disability is tinnitus, rated at 10%, which does not prevent him from engaging in substantially gainful employment.