PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2014

The Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus have been granted with effective dates of July 6, 2004.,The Veteran's claim for TDIU has also been granted with an effective date of July 6, 2004. The award of DEA benefits is contingent on the grant of service connection for PTSD.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 100 percent since October 30, 2007. His residuals of deviated septum do not meet the criteria for a compensable rating. The Veteran's lumbar spine disability and left S1 radiculopathy are both currently rated as 20 percent disabling.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need to verify stressors and obtain additional medical opinions. The case will be returned for further development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cause of death is not attributable to service or any incident of service, and therefore denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's appeal was granted, with a 30 percent disability rating for PTSD effective from May 26, 2009. The decision also addressed the issues of service connection for PTSD and gastrointestinal disorder as secondary to PTSD, but did not address the issue of TDIU.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for increased ratings related to PTSD, TBI with chronic headaches, and lumbosacral strain. The Board finds that the withdrawal is valid.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 30 percent since November 30, 2009. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a higher rating as the symptoms do not more closely approximate those required for a 50% disability rating under DC 9411.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 30 percent, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted. His diabetes mellitus, type II is currently rated at 20 percent.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for a new examination of the Veteran's PTSD and readjudication based on additional evidence.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, which reflects the level of occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

The Veteran has been diagnosed with PTSD and MDD, which are related to in-service military sexual trauma (MST) that has been corroborated by credible supporting evidence. The Board granted the Veteran's claim for service connection.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for a low back disability and remanded the case for further development. The claims for an increased rating for PTSD, TDIU rating, and VA treatment records are also being addressed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's PTSD is service-connected, but her low back condition is not.

The Veteran's PTSD has resulted in no more than occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity, warranting a 50% disability rating.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 30 percent since December 2009, with symptoms including persistent re-experiencing of traumatic events, avoidance behaviors, and significant impairment in social and occupational functioning.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining an addendum opinion from a VA examiner regarding whether the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder pre-existed service and was not aggravated by her active duty service. The agency of original jurisdiction will then review the claims file and ensure all necessary actions have been conducted.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD has resulted in total occupational and social impairment since August 20, 2002. The Board grants a 100 percent rating for PTSD effective from that date.

The Veteran's PTSD is found to be reasonably due to fear of hostile military action during his service in Vietnam, and the claim for service connection is granted.

The Veteran's PTSD has been granted and currently assigned a 30 percent evaluation, reflecting occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform tasks.

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms have been productive of occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas since April 6, 2007. The Board finds that a 70 percent rating is warranted for the Veteran's PTSD.