PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2013

The Veteran seeks service connection for various psychiatric disorders. The Board has remanded the case to obtain updated treatment records and schedule the Veteran for an appropriate examination to determine if any current psychiatric disorder is related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to failure of the Veteran to report for a VA examination and failure to respond to records requests sent to his current address. The case is being returned to the RO for further action.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for PTSD is dismissed because he did not file a timely appeal regarding this issue.

The Board found no evidence of a current diagnosis of PTSD and denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD. The Veteran's symptoms were attributed to his personality disorder, which is not considered a disease or injury under VA regulations.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's injuries in the July 1958 automobile accident were due to his own willful misconduct, and thus not incurred in the line of duty. As a result, service connection for acquired psychiatric disorders, other than depression; residuals of nasal injuries, to include a deviated septum; and sinusitis is denied.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal in May 2013, prior to the Board's decision.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 50 percent since April 27, 2012. The rating is based on the criteria for a GAF score of 55, indicating moderate symptoms and some difficulty in social, occupational, or school functioning.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected PTSD and updated medical treatment records from his providers.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, depression, and affective disorder is being remanded due to the need for an examination to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 50 percent, reflecting occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity. The appeal is not about service connection but rather the evaluation of an existing condition.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, which reflects occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity due to symptoms such as episodic suicidal ideation, auditory hallucinations, depression, difficulty sleeping, irritability or outbursts of anger, flashbacks, and intermittent impairment of remote, recent, and immediate memory. The Veteran's PTSD does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board found that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD and hypertension were not incurred in or aggravated by service, and denied both claims. The Veteran's TDIU claim was also denied as his service-connected disability did not meet the schedular criteria.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to concerns about the reliability of a previous VA examination and the need to address whether the Veteran's current psychiatric conditions are related to his service, including fear of hostile military activity.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for further development, including a new VA examination and an opinion regarding his employability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was granted with an effective date of September 9, 1993. The initial disability rating for PTSD is now 50 percent.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's schizophrenia and PTSD are related to his military service, including in-service sexual trauma.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining more recent VA treatment records and a new VA PTSD examination. The Veteran's claim of entitlement to an increased disability rating for PTSD is now pending.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was granted, with a 10% rating assigned for his condition. The stressors supporting the diagnosis of PTSD were found to be new and material evidence.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, major depression and anxiety, is being remanded due to the need for additional development of his medical records.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain updated medical records, schedule him for VA examinations, and readjudicate his claims.