PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2012

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for scheduling a Travel Board hearing. The issues of service connection for various conditions, including PTSD, hypertension, enlarged prostate, skin disorder of the groin area, hepatitis C, and anemia, are pending.

The Board has determined that the Veteran likely incurred PTSD and Anxiety Disorder, NOS during his military service, particularly due to combat events in Grenada, Panama, and Saudi Arabia. The claim for PTSD is granted.

The Veteran's service connection for PTSD has been granted, and he is currently rated at 50 percent. The Board finds that the Veteran suffered acoustic trauma from an explosion during combat service and has had continuous hearing difficulties since then, resulting in current bilateral hearing loss disability.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of PTSD was denied as there was no formal or informal claim submitted prior to March 31, 2008.,The Veteran's claim for a higher initial evaluation for irritable bowel syndrome was also denied due to the lack of credible evidence showing symptoms consistent with the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including obtaining official verification of the Veteran's friend's death and scheduling a VA examination to assess his acquired psychiatric disorders.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD due to the lack of a current clinical diagnosis, and thus did not meet the essential criterion for establishing service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's PTSD is not a valid diagnosis and thus the original grant of service connection was clearly erroneous. As such, the RO improperly severed service connection for PTSD. The Board grants restoration of service connection for PTSD effective July 1, 2011.

The Veteran's PTSD was rated at 10 percent prior to July 20, 2004 and 70 percent thereafter. The Board found that the criteria for a higher rating were not met.

The Veteran's claims for a higher rating for PTSD and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA medical records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board has remanded the case to the RO for further evidentiary and due process development, including a new VA examination to determine if the Veteran's PTSD is related to service.

The Veteran's PTSD caused occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas prior to November 3, 2011. Since then, his PTSD has caused total occupational and social impairment.

The Veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for PTSD with secondary depression is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination to separate symptoms attributable to service-connected PTSD from those attributable to nonservice-connected conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD with memory loss has been rated at 70% since November 18, 2011. However, the Board found that for the period from November 26, 2004 to November 17, 2011, his disability did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's injuries in a July 1958 automobile accident were not incurred in the line of duty due to his own willful misconduct. As such, service connection for PTSD, nasal injuries, and sinusitis is denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected acquired psychiatric disability and degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine were denied. The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability was found to be manifested by symptoms such as sleep difficulties, nightmares, intrusive thoughts or memories about military service, flashbacks, hypervigilance, anger, bouts of rage, depression, anxiety, paranoia, suicidal ideations, and homicidal ideations. His degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine was manifested by pain that increased with changes in weather, causing sleeping difficulties but not radiating to his lower extremities.

The Board found that the Veteran's vertigo and psychiatric disorder are not related to service, with the preponderance of evidence against a finding that they were incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, finding that there was no medical evidence attributing his current condition to any verified in-service stressful incident.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's PTSD is related to his service, specifically an assault and witnessing a traumatic event during military service.

The Veteran's PTSD and thoracolumbar spine disability have been granted service connection, with a 10 percent rating initially assigned for each condition. The Board has determined that the current ratings are appropriate.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD, finding that the appellant's military experiences are related to his diagnosis of PTSD.