PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2013

The Veteran's PTSD alone, without consideration of the adverse effects from his non-service connected poly-substance abuse, did not result in more than occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity. The criteria for a higher rating were not met prior to February 24, 2003.

The Board found that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including depression, bipolar disorder, and PTSD, were not incurred in or aggravated by service. The evidence did not show a diagnosis of a psychosis during service or continuity of symptoms post-service.

The Board denied a rating higher than 50 percent for posttraumatic stress disorder before January 26, 2009, finding that the Veteran's disability picture equated to occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity under the General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders.

The Veteran's PTSD was rated at 50 percent prior to July 27, 2009 and increased to 70 percent from July 27, 2009 to December 27, 2012.

The Board found that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, was not incurred in or aggravated by active military service.

The Board has ordered a remand to obtain complete articles and another VA opinion regarding the cause of the Veteran's death. The case will be returned for further development.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, and the claim for an increased evaluation has been denied. The Veteran's TDIU claim was also denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, are denied as there is no competent evidence of such conditions in service or within one year post-service. The Veteran's current diagnoses do not meet the criteria for service connection.

The Board found that the Veteran's PTSD symptoms did not warrant a 100 percent rating prior to September 17, 2008. Therefore, the effective date for the grant of a 100 percent rating for PTSD is set at March 2, 2006.

The Veteran's PTSD was primarily manifested by symptoms such as nightmares, sleep difficulty, intrusive thoughts, irritability, social isolation, flashbacks, exaggerated startle response, and Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) scores of 51 and 55. These symptoms demonstrated no more than occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, major depression, general anxiety disorder, and depression NOS, is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination and consideration of new evidence.

The Board has determined that there is no right ear hearing loss disability present during the pendency of this claim. The Veteran's service connection claim for PTSD was also denied as there is no evidence of a current disability.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of December 22, 1995 for the grant of service connection for schizoaffective disorder was granted. The effective date is set at January 14, 1982, which is when the Veteran filed a request to reopen his claim.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD and TDIU were granted with effective dates of June 3, 2003. The Board found that the earlier effective date was not warranted due to the fact that VA had sufficient information at the time of the March 1992 rating decision to obtain relevant service records.

The Board has ordered a new VA examination to determine the etiology of the Veteran's erectile dysfunction, including whether it is related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, Type II or posttraumatic stress disorder. The case will be remanded for further development.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD has been rated at 50 percent, and the Board finds that a higher rating of 70 percent is warranted. The Veteran also meets criteria for TDIU.

The Board has granted an effective date of March 6, 1982, for the award of service connection for PTSD. The Veteran's claim was pending since January 14, 1983, and he first met the elements required to establish service connection for PTSD at that time.

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms have been productive of not more than moderate symptoms causing occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform tasks. The criteria for an initial disability rating in excess of 30 percent for PTSD have not been met.

The Veteran's PTSD was rated at 30% prior to February 22, 2000 and at 50% from that date. The Board found the criteria for a higher rating were not met or more nearly approximated.

The Board found that there is no diagnosed condition of PTSD during the appeal period and thus denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder.