PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2014

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and scheduling VA examinations to determine the severity of his PTSD and etiology of his hypertension.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient examination opinions regarding the Veteran's diagnoses and service connection for PTSD. Additional VA examinations are needed.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 50 percent since April 2011, and the RO found that his condition did not warrant a higher rating. The Veteran was previously denied service connection for GERD but withdrew his appeal on this issue.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD has been denied. The claims for service connection for a tremor disorder and lumbar spine degenerative joint disease (DJD) are pending.

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms, including nightmares and anxiety, resulted in reduced reliability and productivity. The current rating of 100% is appropriate.,For tension headaches from May 14, 2010 onwards, the Veteran has been granted a maximum schedular disability rating.

The Veteran's service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder is currently productive of occupational and social impairment, with reduced reliability and productivity. The Board finds that the schedular criteria for an initial 50 percent evaluation have been met.

The Board has remanded the claims due to inadequate examination reports and need for additional medical opinions regarding service connection for a low back disorder, as well as TDIU. The Veteran's service-connected knee disabilities are alleged to be aggravating her nonservice-connected back disorder.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to conflicting evidence of file as to whether the Veteran had a right knee disability and/or functional impairment of the right knee on use, and also because of new evidence submitted by the Veteran's attorney-representative.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining records from Poggioreale prison and Social Security Administration, and arranging for an examination to determine if PTSD is related to a verified stressor event in service.

The Board has remanded the case back to the AOJ for further development, including obtaining records from the Army Hospital in Frankfurt and unit personnel records of B Company, 503rd Supply and Transport Battalion. The issues on appeal are whether the Veteran was assaulted in August-November 1975 and if so, whether he has an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including scheduling a videoconference hearing.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 70 percent since April 15, 2005. The Board is granting a 70 percent rating for PTSD effective April 15, 2005.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude employment consistent with his education and occupational experience, thus the claim for a TDIU is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's PTSD is related to service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of PTSD was granted. However, her increased rating claim for migraine headaches prior to November 25, 2008 and from that date (rated at 30% and 50%, respectively) was denied as she failed to report for a scheduled VA examination without good cause.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 50 percent effective November 25, 2008. The RO also granted a total rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities as of January 17, 2008.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of TDIU was denied as the earliest date entitlement arose to unemployability due to service-connected PTSD is June 23, 2010. The effective date assigned in the June 2012 rating decision was March 5, 2010.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining additional information about his claimed stressors and providing him with a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any psychiatric disorders.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 70 percent for the period prior to February 14, 2012.,For the period beginning on February 14, 2012, a higher rating is not warranted as his symptoms do not meet the criteria for a 100% disability rating.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus is rated at 20 percent, eczematous dermatitis at staged ratings of 10 and 30 percent, malaria is not compensable, and PTSD warrants a TDIU effective November 12, 2009.