PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2014

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining updated treatment records and scheduling an examination to reassess the severity of his PTSD. Additionally, a medical opinion will be obtained regarding whether he is unemployable due to multiple service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are not shown to be of such a nature or severity to prevent him from obtaining or retaining substantially gainful employment prior to April 29, 2011.

The Veteran's PTSD was rated at 70 percent prior to December 17, 2013. Since then, the rating has been increased to 100 percent effective from December 17, 2013. The Board also granted a TDIU effective June 7, 2009.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 70 percent, the highest available rating under the applicable diagnostic code. The claim for a TDIU was granted.

The Veteran's PTSD is productive of occupational and social impairment, with deficiencies in most areas, but does not result in total occupational and social impairment. The claim for higher ratings remains pending.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent disabling, effective September 16, 2013. The disability results in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current psychiatric conditions, including PTSD, are not service-connected due to lack of credible evidence linking his symptoms directly to his military service.

The Veteran's PTSD resulted in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity, but not total occupational and social impairment. The Board denied an initial evaluation of 70 percent for PTSD prior to June 7, 2013, and denied an increased rating beginning June 7, 2013.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain updated VA treatment records and a new psychiatric examination. The Veteran asserts that his PTSD symptoms have worsened since the last examination.

The Veteran's PTSD has resulted in significant occupational and social impairment, warranting a 70 percent evaluation. The Board also found that the Veteran is unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD and other mental health conditions, are not service-connected as there is no credible evidence of in-service stressors or a link between current symptoms and active service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including an updated examination and obtaining VA treatment records. The issue of TDIU will also be addressed.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development due to the need for a VA examination of PTSD and an assessment of his ability to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has remanded the case due to inconsistencies in the Veteran's testimony regarding his reported stressors and a need for further development, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and providing another VA examination.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 30 percent, the maximum schedular rating for this condition. The Board finds that his symptoms do not warrant a higher rating as they are intermittent and generally do not result in occupational or social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 50 percent since November 1, 2009. For the entire rating period on appeal from November 1, 2009, the disability picture more nearly approximated the criteria for a 70 percent rating due to occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for PTSD is denied as there was no prior communication indicating a claim for PTSD.

The Veteran's PTSD is manifested by symptoms such as suicidal ideation, obsessional rituals that interfere with routine activities, and near-continuous depression. The VA examiner found the Veteran to have occupational and social impairment due to deficiencies in most areas, including work, family relations, judgment, thinking, and mood.

The Veteran's PTSD was manifested by considerable occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in work, family relationships, judgment and mood prior to January 18, 2012.,As of January 18, 2012, the Veteran's PTSD resulted in total occupational impairment.