PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2014

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient verification of the Veteran's claimed stressors and the need for further examination. The Veteran is required to provide additional information about his service-related PTSD, and a new VA psychiatric evaluation will be scheduled if his stressors are confirmed.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development including an addendum medical opinion and issuance of a supplemental statement of the case (SSOC). The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, to include as secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus with erectile dysfunction, PTSD, and coronary artery disease, is now pending.

The Veteran seeks service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, claimed as PTSD. The RO denied this claim in January 2009 and the case is now being remanded for further development.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for PTSD was withdrawn prior to the Board's decision. The issue of entitlement to a TDIU due to service-connected disabilities remains.

The Veteran's PTSD was manifested by occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity due to symptoms such as flattened affect, circumstantial speech, panic attacks more than once a week, memory loss, impaired abstract thinking, disturbances of motivation and mood, and difficulty in establishing and maintaining effective work and social relationships. The Board has granted a 50 percent rating for PTSD prior to May 25, 2011.

The Veteran does not have tinnitus, a bilateral knee disability, colon polyps, hypertension, PTSD, or diabetic peripheral neuropathy that is related to active service.,There is no evidence of any diagnosed disabilities in the claims file and no medical opinion linking these conditions to service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA examination reports and ensuring all claims are properly adjudicated.

The Veteran's PTSD with major depressive disorder prior to March 19, 2010 resulted in occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas but not total impairment.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a new VA examination to assess the severity of his PTSD, and for readjudication of both his increased rating claim for PTSD and his TDIU claim.

The Veteran is not diagnosed with any additional psychiatric disability other than PTSD, and thus service connection for a psychiatric disorder other than PTSD cannot be granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, especially PTSD with major depressive disorder, peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, and degenerative changes of the lumbosacral spine, preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation. The Board finds that TDIU is warranted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's skin disability and PTSD are not service-connected, and his PTSD does not warrant a rating in excess of 50 percent.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and sleep apnea were denied as there is no evidence of a verified in-service stressor or exposure to fumes, and the preponderance of the evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, are granted service connection. The claim for residuals of priapism is also granted as secondary to treatment for an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 50 percent since the grant of service connection, reflecting occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to his request for a hearing before the Board. The issues of service connection for hypertension and PTSD are still under consideration.

The Board found that the Veteran's injuries were due to his own willful misconduct and denied service connection for all claimed conditions.

The Veteran's PTSD was rated at 70 percent effective as of January 24, 2011. Prior to this date, the disability was rated at 50 percent.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder other than PTSD was denied. However, his left calf muscle injury has been granted with a 10% rating.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD, with depression and anxiety, is granted. The Board finds that the evidence supports a diagnosis of PTSD related to fear of hostile military activity during his service in the Southwest Asia Theater of Operations.