PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2015

The Board has determined that the current medical opinions are inadequate and requires additional development to determine if any currently diagnosed psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and dysthymic disorder, is related to service.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased disability rating for his service-connected PTSD is being remanded due to the need for additional medical records and a VA examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD due to military sexual trauma (MST), is related to her service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a PTSD examination. The issue of entitlement to TDIU has also been raised by the record.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including verifying claimed in-service stressors and scheduling a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any current PTSD.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and determining the current severity of his PTSD. The issue of entitlement to a total rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU) is also included in this appeal.

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms have not resulted in occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas, such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood. The criteria for an evaluation in excess of 50 percent for PTSD have not been met.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to the death of the appellant, and no service connection decision could be made.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for PTSD is being remanded due to notification issues and the need for additional development.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining outstanding treatment records and scheduling a VA psychiatric examination to assess the severity of his PTSD.

The Veteran's service-connected psychiatric disorders, including PTSD, OCD, and GAD, have been granted a 50% evaluation prior to November 7, 2013. Since then, the Veteran continues to seek an increased evaluation for these conditions, which has not been met.

The Veteran's PTSD has been manifested by symptoms such as depressed mood, anxiety, panic attacks, chronic sleep impairment, memory loss, and difficulty in establishing effective relationships. The Board finds that the Veteran's PTSD more nearly approximates occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.

The Board has ordered additional development to verify the Veteran's claimed stressor and obtain relevant medical records. The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and MDD, is remanded.

The Veteran's PTSD and major depressive disorder were not shown to warrant a rating in excess of 50 percent prior to March 17, 2013. The Board found that the symptoms did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran was granted service connection for alcoholic neuropathy of the left and right lower extremities on December 28, 2004. Effective from that date, she is entitled to a rating higher than 30 percent for her left external popliteal nerve condition.,She also received separate ratings for each affected nerve: 20 percent for the musculocutaneous (superficial peroneal) nerve, 30 percent for the anterior tibial (deep peroneal) nerve, and 40 percent for the internal popliteal (tibial) nerve. She is also entitled to a separate 10 percent rating for her posterior tibial nerve condition.

The Board found that the Veteran's psychiatric disorders, including PTSD and depressive disorder, were not related to service or any incident of service origin.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a diagnosis of PTSD and thus, service connection for PTSD cannot be granted.

The case is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining unit records and a VA examination to address the Veteran's back, knee, and psychiatric claims.

The Veteran's claim for a higher initial evaluation for PTSD is being remanded due to the need for updated VA examination and consideration of new evidence.

The Veteran's appeal includes claims for various conditions and disabilities, including increased ratings for lumbosacral strain and degenerative joint disease, service connection for PTSD, a bilateral knee and foot condition, depression, asthma, food poisoning, a gunshot wound to the left leg due to the right hand as secondary to bilateral hand condition, anxiety, a bilateral arm condition, a bilateral leg condition, a bilateral hand condition, hepatitis C, sleep apnea, urinary retention, and memory loss. The appeal is being remanded for scheduling a Travel Board hearing.