PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2013

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 70 percent, and the Board finds that he does not meet the criteria for a higher initial rating.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and major depressive disorder, is being remanded due to the need for additional development of evidence.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for PTSD, anxiety, and panic attacks is being remanded due to conflicting medical opinions regarding the existence of a current psychiatric disability. A new VA examination will be conducted to clarify this issue.

The Veteran's claim for a higher initial rating in excess of 30 percent for PTSD is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and providing a new VA examination.

The Veteran does not have PTSD, and the Board finds that he does not meet the criteria for a diagnosis of PTSD.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining private treatment records and scheduling a VA psychiatric examination. The Veteran's claims for PTSD, hypertension, congestive heart failure with pacemaker and stent, and diabetes mellitus will be reviewed in light of this new evidence.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and a new examination to assess the severity of his service-connected PTSD. The TDIU claim is also raised due to the Veteran's lack of employment.

The Veteran's PTSD was rated at 50 percent prior to October 19, 2010. From October 19, 2010, the rating for PTSD has been increased to 70 percent.

The Veteran's claim for a higher evaluation for diabetes mellitus has been granted, with an effective date of July 21, 2000. The Veteran also withdrew his application to reopen the previously denied claim for service connection for a skin disorder of the feet.

The Board is remanding the case for further development to determine if the Veteran has PTSD and whether his current psychiatric disability was caused by or aggravated by his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, depression, and anxiety. The decision is based on the merits of the claim without relying on any presumption or new evidence.

The Board found no evidence to support the Veteran's claims for bilateral shoulder disability and PTSD, concluding that any current disabilities are not related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA and private treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of the Veteran's PTSD.

The Veteran seeks an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for PTSD. The Board denied this claim, finding that the earliest possible effective date is July 19, 2005, which was the date of receipt of his initial claim.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD has been remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and additional treatment records.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have PTSD and thus, service connection for PTSD is denied.

The Board has granted service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder. The claims of service connection for depression, a disability manifested by breathing difficulty to include sleep apnea, and residuals of a fractured nose are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU were denied. The Board remanded the case for further development.

The Veteran is entitled to a TDIU for the period from December 15, 2009 through July 30, 2013 due to his service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination to assess the severity of his PTSD and an evaluation of his claim for individual unemployability.