PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2014

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for PTSD and granted service connection, finding that there is sufficient evidence to support a diagnosis of PTSD related to in-service stressors.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is rated at 50 percent disabling, effective March 24, 2010. The disability picture includes occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas due to psychiatric symptoms without total occupational or social impairment.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for PTSD and remanded it for further development, including a VA examination.

The Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for PTSD was denied. The effective date assigned is January 21, 2010.

The Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and the criteria for DIC under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318 are not met.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development of his psychiatric disorder claims, including obtaining VA treatment records from the Houston VAMC. The case will be readjudicated after these records are obtained.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected PTSD is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a new VA examination and obtaining relevant medical records.

The Veteran's PTSD resulted in occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas, including work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, and mood. The RO granted a 70 percent disability rating for PTSD effective September 18, 2013.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for PTSD was granted. However, his secondary claim for a gastrointestinal disorder is denied.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death. The Board cannot proceed with the merits of this case as he is no longer alive.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for PTSD and found that new evidence submitted since the last denial raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating his claim. However, the Board denied service connection for PTSD as there is no current diagnosis of PTSD in the record.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn for the issue of entitlement to a compensable initial rating for bilateral hearing loss. The issues of entitlement to an initial rating in excess of 50 percent for posttraumatic stress disorder and entitlement to a total rating based on individual unemployability are being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development to determine if the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD, are related to his military service and whether he is entitled to service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional VA treatment records and a new psychiatric examination. The TDIU issue is also being remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the PTSD evaluation claim.

The Board found that there is no credible evidence of the Veteran's claimed in-service stressors, and thus service connection for PTSD was denied. The claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD also failed due to lack of a diagnosed condition related to service.

The Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 50 percent for service-connected PTSD is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining SSA disability benefits records and VA treatment records.

The Veteran's tinnitus is at least as likely as not caused by active service, and the claim for service connection for tinnitus has been granted. The claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder (claimed as PTSD) remains pending.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his claims, including obtaining any outstanding VA treatment records and readjudicating the issues on appeal.

The Board has determined that the Veteran meets the criteria for service connection of PTSD, resolving reasonable doubt in his favor.

The Veteran's service-connected scabies, primary insomnia, and tension headaches have been granted effective from July 3, 1997. The initial ratings for these conditions are assigned.