PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2014

The Veteran is granted TDIU effective from May 28, 2010. The issue of TDIU prior to that date is remanded for further development.

The Veteran is granted TDIU for the period from July 1, 2010 to March 16, 2011 based on his prostate cancer. He is also granted TDIU for the period since March 17, 2011 due to PTSD and physical residuals of an in-service shooting. SMC is restored for the entire period from July 1, 2010.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unemployable, and the Board grants TDIU.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated as 30 percent disabling, which is the initial rating assigned upon service connection for this disability.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD and granted it, finding that new evidence supports a diagnosis of PTSD related to combat experiences in Vietnam.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was incurred in service and his right ear hearing loss was aggravated by service. The claim for PTSD is granted, with a current evaluation of 30 percent.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including the provision of a VA examination and the review of all updated VA records.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not have a current left hearing loss disability, but granted service connection for PTSD and other psychiatric disabilities. Service connection was also denied for personality disorder, testicular disability, right inguinal hernia, and cervical spine disability.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for the claims of entitlement to a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, for service connection for a bilateral foot disability including as secondary to the service-connected chronic lumbar strain with degenerative disk disease, and for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD including as secondary to the service connected head injury residuals.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, to include mood disorder, secondary to the Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus type II. The claim for hypertension was not addressed in this decision.

The Veteran's claim for a higher initial rating for PTSD was denied, as his symptoms did not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for VA benefits based on a period of service from January 1968 to July 1971, finding that new and material evidence had not been submitted. The appeal was dismissed as the Veteran's discharge during this period was due to an AWOL (absence without leave) and no insanity or compelling circumstances were established.

The Veteran's PTSD prior to September 1, 2007 did not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 70 percent due to occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and verifying stressors. The appeal is pending further adjudication.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at a 70 percent disability rating, effective from the date of this decision. The Veteran has been found to have occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas due to symptoms such as flattened affect, panic attacks more than once a week, difficulty understanding complex commands, impaired judgment, and neglect of personal appearance and hygiene.

The Board found that the Veteran's claimed acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depression, was not incurred or aggravated in service. The dental condition claim is also denied as there were no reported incidents of trauma during service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's memory loss is a symptom of her service-connected PTSD and thus, it has been attributed to a known clinical diagnosis for which she is receiving disability compensation benefits.

The Veteran does not have a diagnosed PTSD. The Board finds that the Veteran's headaches are secondary to his service-connected Bell's Palsy, and sinusitis is at least in equipoise with a possible relationship to Bell's Palsy.,PTSD was denied as there is no diagnosis of PTSD. Headaches were denied as they are considered secondary to Bell's Palsy. Sinusitis was granted as it is at least in equipoise with a possible relationship to Bell's Palsy.

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

The Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 50 percent for PTSD was denied. The RO had previously established service connection for PTSD and assigned a noncompensable (zero percent) evaluation, effective from June 27, 2006.