PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2014

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD, finding that the Veteran's claimed in-service stressor is consistent with his service and there is equipoise of evidence regarding whether he currently has PTSD. The claim of an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD will be considered as a separate issue.

The Veteran's PTSD was initially rated at 30 percent effective April 28, 2010. From June 21, 2012 to the present, his PTSD has been rated at 70 percent.,PTSD symptoms have caused significant impairment in work and social functioning.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the passage of time since his last VA examination and concerns regarding the previous examination. He may have new treatment records that need to be added to his claims file.

The Veteran's appeal for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) is being remanded due to insufficient medical evidence. The VA will schedule an examination and review the claim.

The Board found that the Veteran does not meet the diagnostic criteria for PTSD or any other psychiatric disorder, and thus denied service connection for PTSD and anxiety disorder.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and to verify his in-service stressor. The TDIU claim is also being remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the service connection claim.

The Veteran is granted service connection for PTSD with an effective date of September 28, 2006. The claim was reopened in October 2010 and the RO found new and material evidence to grant service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including obtaining VA and private treatment records, scheduling a VA psychiatric examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected PTSD, and readjudicating the claims.

The Board has remanded the case due to a pending appeal for service connection for PTSD, and will issue a Statement of the Case if requested by the Veteran.

The Veteran's death was not service-connected, and the Board denied dependency and indemnity compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318 due to lack of continuous total disability rating for at least five years prior to his death.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's PTSD is causally related to his active military service, and therefore grants service connection for PTSD.

The Veteran's combined rating was 80% prior to his death in December 2009, and 90% thereafter. The service-connected disabilities met the percentage requirements for a schedular TDIU, but did not render him unemployable due to their impact on his ability to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder with PTSD features, hypertension, and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities are all granted. The Veteran is also service-connected for retinopathy.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher initial rating for PTSD was granted, with an initial evaluation of 30 percent effective May 6, 2008. The Board found that the Veteran's PTSD has been productive of sleep impairment, disturbances of mood, and auditory hallucinations but not symptoms resembling obsessional rituals which interfere with routine activities, intermittently illogical speech, panic attacks, spatial disorientation, or an inability to establish and maintain effective relationships.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, anxiety disorder, and dysthymic disorder is being remanded due to the need for additional development of her service treatment records.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his VA treatment records, including those from the Greenville Vet Center. The case will be readjudicated after this information is obtained.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected PTSD. The claim will be adjudicated again after obtaining all necessary evidence and considering any new information.

The Board has determined that further development is needed to verify the Veteran's claimed stressors and obtain his complete service treatment records. The case will be remanded for these purposes.

The Board has determined that a new medical examination is needed to determine the current nature, extent and etiology of any acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD. The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD remains pending.