PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2015

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, was granted. The issue of entitlement to an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for left knee disability is under the Board's jurisdiction and requires a remand.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD, a right hip disability, and hepatitis C were denied. The claim for increased ratings of the internal derangement of the right knee and degenerative joint disease of the right knee was also denied.

The Veteran's service connection claim for bilateral peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, as secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II, has been granted. The claim for PTSD remains pending.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated as 30 percent disabling prior to March 20, 2013, and as 50 percent disabling thereafter. The Board finds a higher rating is warranted for the period from October 1, 2010, to March 20, 2013.

The Board has recharacterized the Veteran's claims and found that his service connection for PTSD must be reconsidered. The claim is not granted as there is no credible supporting evidence to verify the occurrence of the claimed in-service stressor.

The Veteran's PTSD was moderately impairing prior to November 26, 2008, with symptoms such as recurrent memory flashbacks, intrusive thoughts, hypervigilance, and disturbed sleep. From November 26, 2008, the impairment did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms cause occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity but not deficiencies in most areas or total disability, warranting a rating of 50 percent.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including obtaining additional VA treatment records and providing an addendum opinion from a psychologist who performed the July 2014 VA examination.

The Board found that the Veteran's claimed psychiatric disabilities did not have onset during service and were not incurred as a result of service.

The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not cause or contribute substantially to his death due to COPD, prostate cancer, and chronic kidney disease. The examiner concluded that these conditions were less likely related to military service.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of service connection for PTSD is granted, with the effective date set at September 28, 1999.

The Veteran's PTSD has been fully granted with a 100% rating effective August 8, 2007. The appeal is dismissed as the full benefits sought have been awarded.

The Veteran's PTSD with depression was found to have caused significant occupational and social impairment, warranting a higher initial rating of 70 percent prior to August 17, 2010.

The Board has granted an effective date of June 19, 1992 for the grant of service connection for PTSD based on reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board found that the Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability and denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, is being remanded due to the need for additional development and correction of notice. A VA examination will be conducted to determine the current nature and etiology of his psychiatric disability.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for erectile dysfunction as secondary to his PTSD was denied, and he is not entitled to a TDIU based on his PTSD.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD has been reopened and granted, with the diagnosis of PTSD linked to his reported in-service stressor.

The Board has decided to remand the case for a VA medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected PTSD and/or ischemic heart disease contributed substantially or materially to his death.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for the issues of entitlement to an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for PTSD with substance abuse and dependency and entitlement to an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for left knee degenerative joint disease prior to the Board's decision.