PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2013

The Veteran's claims for PTSD, bilateral vision loss under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151, and lumbar spine disability were all denied by the Board.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and additional development of his claims, including for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Veteran's appeals were dismissed due to his death during the pendency of the appeal.

The Veteran is unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities from September 6, 2007 to May 2, 2012.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 30 percent, which reflects the severity of his symptoms as described by VA examiners and treatment providers. The rating has been granted based on the criteria for a 30 percent evaluation under the General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to his request for a hearing before the Board. The case will be transferred to the appropriate RO and scheduled for a hearing.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent since July 23, 2012 and he is granted TDIU prior to that date. The appeal for an increased rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD since July 23, 2012 has been withdrawn.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 70 percent, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted. The evidence does not demonstrate total occupational and social impairment due to symptoms such as gross impairment in thought processes or communication; persistent delusions or hallucinations; grossly inappropriate behavior; persistent danger of hurting oneself or others; intermittent inability to perform activities of daily living; disorientation to time or place; or memory loss for names of close relatives, own occupation, or own name.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including cardiomyopathy with coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus type 2, posttraumatic stress disorder, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities, degenerative joint disease of the left knee, hypertension, and diabetic retinopathy, are being reviewed to determine if they render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his death, and the Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this claim.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently evaluated at a 50 percent rating, effective April 21, 2008. The Board finds that the current evidence does not support an increase in his disability rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's PTSD was incurred during service and granted service connection. The claim for an increased rating for his lumbar spine disability remains pending.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at a 70 percent evaluation, effective April 21, 2009. The Board found that the impairment from his PTSD more nearly approximates deficiencies in most areas such as work and social relationships.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current psychiatric disorder, other than alcohol abuse and personality disorder, due to service or a service-connected condition.

The Veteran's service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder prevents him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board finds that he is entitled to TDIU benefits.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 30 percent since the initial grant of service connection in June 2008. The current rating is appropriate given his symptoms, which include occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for additional development, including verifying in-service stressors and obtaining a VA PTSD examination to determine if his acquired psychiatric disorder is related to service.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for diabetes mellitus was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not warrant a higher rating as his disability picture did not more nearly approximate the criteria for any higher evaluation.

The Veteran's migraine headaches are currently rated at 30 percent, and the Board has granted a maximum 50 percent rating for migraines. The issue of entitlement to TDIU is remanded due to the complexity of the claim.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of low back disability and PTSD, as well as increased ratings for left shoulder strain and right shoulder tendinitis were all denied.