PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2013

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for PTSD and found that new and material evidence has been submitted. The issue of service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, Major Depressive Disorder, Bipolar Affective Disorder, and Adjustment Disorder Anxiety, is remanded for further development.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the appellant's claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including bipolar disorder and PTSD. However, the issue of whether these conditions are related to service is still pending.

The Veteran's PTSD has been manifested by occupational and social impairment, with deficiencies in most areas such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood, due to symptoms like near-continuous depression affecting the ability to function independently. For this reason, the Board finds that a 70 percent disability rating for PTSD is warranted.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD and major depressive disorder. The Veteran's low back disability is currently rated as 20 percent disabling.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD has been granted a 70 percent rating, effective from the date of this decision. The Veteran is also entitled to TDIU.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for clarification on whether his service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded to the RO for further development, including a VA examination and consideration of his claims.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board has granted a 70 percent disability evaluation for PTSD with major depressive disorder, effective from December 31, 2012.

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms have been more severe than the initial rating of 30 percent. The VA has now granted a 50 percent disability rating for PTSD effective from June 28, 2012.

The case is REMANDED for the following actions: 1) Ask the Veteran to identify all providers of psychiatric treatment he has received since his discharge from active duty, and to provide authorizations for VA to obtain records of any such private treatment. The RO should secure for the record copies of complete clinical records of the treatment identified; 2) Arrange for a psychiatric examination of the Veteran to determine the nature and likely etiology of his psychiatric disability(ies).

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for PTSD, service connection for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, gall bladder disorder, liver disorder, and residuals of a miscarriage are being remanded due to the need for additional development. The effective date for the grant of service connection for PTSD is set at July 11, 2005.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for the 100 percent rating for posttraumatic stress disorder and also denied entitlement to a total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disability.

The Board has granted service connection for a psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, finding that new and material evidence had been received to reopen the claim.

The Board has determined that diabetes, presumed to be due to exposure to herbicide agents in service, contributed to the Veteran's death from pulmonary embolism. As such, the criteria for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death have been met.

The Veteran's dental disorder claim was denied, and his growth to the left upper chest was granted. The service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (to include PTSD) was not granted.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to inadequate search efforts for in-service mental health records and police records related to a shooting incident. The Veteran's claim will be re-adjudicated after these records are obtained.

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms have been shown to manifest as total social and occupational impairment, warranting a 100 percent rating for the entire period on appeal.

The Veteran's PTSD with depression, anxiety, and sleep impairment is currently rated at 70 percent since October 3, 2012. The TDIU issue has been granted prior to September 21, 2009.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU was denied as the VA examinations did not provide an opinion regarding whether his service-connected disabilities, in concert, render him unable to obtain or retain substantially gainful employment.