PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2014

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for PTSD has been granted. The Board also found new and material evidence sufficient to reopen the claim of service connection for CAD, which is now pending.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for acquired psychiatric disorders, including depression, PTSD, anxiety disorder, and psychosis, is being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions and records.

The Board has granted service connection for right and left upper extremity disorders (claimed as bilateral arm pain and numbness) secondary to the service-connected cervical strain. The Veteran's tension headaches with migraine features are also rated higher than 10 percent. However, further development is needed due to incomplete information regarding her psychiatric conditions and fibromyalgia.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the AOJ for scheduling a Travel Board hearing. The issues of entitlement to an evaluation in excess of 50 percent for PTSD and TDIU are still pending.

The Veteran's PTSD has been manifested by social and occupational impairment, with deficiencies in most areas. The Board finds that the Veteran is entitled to a 70 percent disability rating for PTSD during the initial rating period from December 30, 1999 to January 5, 2010.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including new examinations and readjudication of his claims. The case will be returned to the Board after these actions are completed.

The Veteran's PTSD was manifested by symptoms that caused occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency, but did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for PTSD was denied as it is not factually ascertainable that he was unemployable within a year of his June 2011 VA examination.,The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for TDIU was also denied because there is no evidence showing he was unemployable within a year of the June 2011 VA examination.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his PTSD with generalized anxiety and dysthymia was denied. His current evaluation of 50% is based on occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

The Board has determined that a VA examination is needed to determine if the Veteran meets the criteria for PTSD and whether any other psychiatric disability, including depression, had its onset in service or is related to service.

The Veteran's brain tumor and acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD were both granted service connection, with the latter being linked to her diagnosed brain tumor.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depression, is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired anxiety disorder, to include PTSD, is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and consideration of new evidence.

The Board has granted service connection for IBS, GERD and gastritis with a 30 percent initial evaluation effective from April 24, 2006. The Veteran's claims for other issues remain pending.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for PTSD is being remanded due to the need for a videoconference hearing.

The Board found that the Veteran's current psychiatric symptoms are related to his pre-existing personality disorder and substance abuse, which were not aggravated by service. Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD was granted.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, finding that the Veteran's PTSD is related to his active duty service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of April 9, 2012 for service connection of PTSD as there was no evidence of a formal or informal claim prior to that date.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his PTSD is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling an examination.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 100 percent since August 17, 2005. The Board found that the effective date should be October 10, 1995, when the initial claim for service connection was filed.