PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2014

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected coronary artery disease does not warrant a rating in excess of 30 percent.

The Board has determined that the record is incomplete regarding the cause of the Veteran's death and requires additional development to determine causality.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including scheduling a VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected bilateral pes planus and whether any diagnosed mental disorders are caused or aggravated by a service-connected disability. The claims file should also be returned to the July 2010 examiner for an addendum opinion regarding the pre-existence and aggravation of any acquired psychiatric disorder (to include PTSD and depressive disorder NOS).

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and determining the current severity of his service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 50 percent since May 18, 2012. The Board finds that the evidence supports a grant of TDIU due to his service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded to the AOJ for further development, including obtaining ongoing records of PTSD treatment and arranging for a VA examination. The issue of entitlement to an increased rating for PTSD remains in appellate status.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for a VA examination to assess his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, which meets the criteria for a higher rating. However, his TDIU claim was denied as his service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Board found that the Veteran's claimed stressors were not credible and did not occur, as there was no documentation of any injuries or events consistent with his statements. As a result, the claim for service connection for PTSD is denied.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been withdrawn. The Board has granted service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) due to in-service traumatic events.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, due to new and material evidence. However, the claim is denied as there is no current diagnosis of PTSD or other psychiatric disorder that was incurred during service.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, effective from the date of his claim. The Board also granted a TDIU as of May 15, 2014.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA and private treatment records related to the Veteran's claimed psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) was granted, resulting in a disability rating of 70 percent. The Board also found that the TDIU claim due to PTSD had been raised by the record and granted it retroactively effective from January 11, 2007.

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms have resulted in occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks, warranting a 30 percent rating prior to April 23, 2014. His bilateral hearing loss disability has not been rated.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is found to be causally related to his military service and the Board grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has granted the Veteran's service connection for PTSD and found new and material evidence to reopen his claim of right ankle disability. The case is remanded for a VA examination to determine if he currently suffers from a right ankle disability related to his active service.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeal concerning entitlement to service connection for right ear hearing loss and increased rating for PTSD. As a result, these issues are dismissed.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA medical records and conducting new examinations to assess his prostate disorder and PTSD.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased evaluations and service connection, finding that there was no evidence of a right knee disability or heart disability due to in-service herbicide exposure. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and left knee disabilities were found not to warrant higher ratings.