PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2014

The Board found that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, was not incurred in or aggravated by active service and a psychosis may not be presumed to have been incurred in service.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 50 percent since June 30, 2008. The rating is granted as the symptoms are consistent with reduced reliability and productivity.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims to reopen his service connection for PTSD and GERD, finding no new and material evidence.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than July 11, 1997, for the award of service connection for PTSD is denied as a matter of law.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD and bilateral hearing loss were denied, while his claim for service connection for dental injury was granted with a 10% disability rating.

The Board found no evidence to support the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD. The examiner did not find any credible avoidant behavior or specific symptoms indicative of PTSD.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are being reviewed to determine if they caused or contributed to his cause of death, which was terminal lymphoma. The Board has ordered a VA opinion on the etiology of the Veteran's cause of death.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a videoconference hearing at the RO due to scheduling issues.

The Veteran's PTSD results in total occupational and social impairment, warranting a rating of 100 percent. His dementia is separately rated.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a higher initial rating for PTSD, and the RO/AMC must obtain all relevant treatment records and schedule the Veteran for a VA examination to assess his current level of severity.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Board found no evidence of a current diagnosis or in-service occurrence that would support the claims.

The Veteran's PTSD and cognitive disorder, migraine headaches, shrapnel wounds to the right deltoid area and thigh, and left dorsal forearm scar have been granted service connection. The RO has assigned initial ratings for these conditions.

The Veteran's PTSD was manifested by intrusive thoughts and nightmares, intermittent bouts of depression and anxiety triggered by events or social surroundings, hypervigilance, disturbances of mood, and difficulty concentrating. Symptoms did not result in occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for schizophrenia is granted, as the evidence supports a diagnosis of PTSD related to his combat experience. The Board finds that the Veteran had a confirmed in-service stressor and medical evidence supports a link between the current symptomatology and the claimed in-service stressors.

Prior to June 7, 2013, the Veteran's anxiety disorder was rated at 30 percent and granted. Since then, it has been rated at 70 percent.,Since June 7, 2013, the Veteran also has a separate rating for alcohol dependence.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD and anxiety disorder with alcohol dependence resulted in significant occupational and social impairment, warranting a rating of 70 percent prior to January 23, 2013.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability to include PTSD, major depression, panic disorder and social anxiety disorder is found to be incurred in service. His coronary artery disease is also found to be proximately due to his service-connected acquired psychiatric disability. The Veteran meets the criteria for a total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability due to his service connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that a timely notice of disagreement was not filed with the April 2011 rating decision denying service connection for PTSD and schizoaffective disorder. The case is now remanded to issue an SOC in response to the July 25, 2011 NOD.

The Board found that the Veteran's hepatitis C was caused and/or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD, granting secondary service connection for hepatitis C.

The Veteran's claim is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his PTSD.