PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2014

The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of his PTSD is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and the identification of outstanding private treatment records.

The Board has received notification from the appellant's representative that they wish to withdraw their appeal, leading to its dismissal.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for seizures, to include as secondary to PTSD, is being remanded due to the need for additional development and consideration of a new issue regarding whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen his claim of entitlement to service connection for an anxiety disability including PTSD.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depression, is secondary to his service-connected disabilities. The claim for PTSD was denied as there was no evidence of a current diagnosis in accordance with VA regulations.

The Veteran's service-connected psychiatric disability, including PTSD and a depressive disorder, has worsened. The Board finds that additional development is necessary to determine the current severity of his condition.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for PTSD is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and additional treatment records.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining records from the Social Security Administration and scheduling a VA psychiatric examination to evaluate his service-connected disabilities and determine if he is unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment due to these conditions.

The Veteran's PTSD with major depression and alcohol abuse is as likely as not related to his military service, and the Board grants service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, and his chest scar and donor scar are each rated at 10 percent. The appeals for compensable evaluations have been granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is denied as there is no evidence of a chronic identifiable psychiatric disorder. The claim for an increased rating for residuals of a shell fragment wound of the left thigh, Muscle Groups XIV, is granted with a 30 percent rating.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings for PTSD and ischemic heart disease has been dismissed due to his withdrawal of the appeal regarding the initial disability rating for ischemic heart disease prior to December 10, 2007, and since October 27, 2010.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a videoconference hearing before a Veterans Law Judge due to the Acting VLJ who held the previous hearing no longer being employed at the Board.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 70 percent, effective March 29, 2011. Before this date, the disability was also rated at 70 percent.

The Veteran's PTSD with major depressive disorder warrants a staged rating of 70 percent prior to October 11, 2007, and no higher than 50 percent from that date to March 2, 2010.

The Veteran's PTSD is manifested by symptoms resulting in total occupational and social impairment throughout the course of the appeal, warranting a 100% disability rating.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and anxiety, is related to military sexual trauma during service. The Board finds reasonable doubt in favor of the occurrence of this trauma and grants service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining a VA compensation examination and considering all evidence since the last supplemental statement of the case.

For the initial period of the appeal, the Veteran's PTSD was not shown to have been manifested by more than mild occupational and social impairment.,Beginning on December 17, 2008, the Veteran's PTSD is shown to have been productive of a disability picture that more nearly approximated that of occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

The Veteran's claim of entitlement to an initial rating higher than 10 percent for PTSD has been granted, but the Board is remanding the case due to new evidence indicating that his symptoms have worsened since the last examination.

The Veteran's PTSD has resulted in reduced reliability and productivity, but not to the extent that would warrant a higher disability rating. The evidence does not support an evaluation in excess of 50 percent.