PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2014

The Veteran requested to withdraw his appeal regarding the initial rating for PTSD, and as a result, the appeal is dismissed.

The Veteran's PTSD with depression was rated at 50 percent disabling for the period prior to July 12, 2013, and as 70 percent disabling thereafter.

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

The Board has determined that the Veteran's PTSD is attributable to service and grants his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 70 percent disabling, effective from January 23, 2012. The Board found that the symptoms of his PTSD have resulted in occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to December 19, 2007 for service connection of PTSD must be denied as a matter of law due to the abandonment of his previous claim in 1982.

The Veteran was granted service connection for depression. The Board also addressed other claims but deferred a decision pending further case development, including obtaining SSA records and verifying the in-service stressor for PTSD.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to March 3, 2010, for the grant of service connection for PTSD with dysthymia is denied. The Board found that no earlier effective date can be assigned as the claim was received after a final denial in April 2008.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to obtain the Veteran's complete medical records, particularly those from his private psychiatric care provider Dr. Huma Hyder and any VA treatment he received during the period on appeal.

The Veteran's PTSD was productive of occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas including work, judgment, thinking, and mood due to symptoms such as recurrent nightmares; suicidal ideation; impaired judgment; poor concentration; anxiety; social isolation; sleep impairment; and depression.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's previously denied claims for service connection of a back disability and bilateral shoulder disabilities. The appeals are granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, a higher rating for PTSD prior to April 8, 2011, and an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss were denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for any of these claims.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for PTSD has been reopened and granted. The VA examiner diagnosed the Veteran with PTSD related to his military service in Vietnam. Service connection is also granted for Hepatitis C, as it relates to the Veteran's right-ear piercing during service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including schizophrenia, dysthymic disorder, and PTSD, is being remanded due to the submission of new evidence related to his military discharge.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased evaluation of PTSD was withdrawn prior to the Board decision. The claim for service connection for COPD, as secondary to herbicide exposure during active duty service, is denied.

The Board found that the Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, cannot be established as there is no verified stressor and his claims are based on unsupported statements.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased disability rating for PTSD has been withdrawn, resulting in the dismissal of the case.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a videoconference hearing before the Board of Veterans' Appeals.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and for a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his psychiatric disorders.