PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2015

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and ischemic heart disease, prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation. The combined disability rating is at least 70 percent.

The Veteran is entitled to a TDIU rating effective June 21, 2005 due to his service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to incomplete development of his claims file, including the need for a VA examination and obtaining outstanding VA treatment records. The case will be readjudicated after these steps are completed.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and for an increased rating for PTSD, as well as his claim for a total disability based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disability. The decision also found that the Veteran's PTSD currently results in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have PTSD and his only current diagnosed acquired psychiatric disorder is adjustment disorder, which was not caused or aggravated by service-connected residuals of frostbite injury to the feet.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being referred to the Director of Compensation and Pension Services for extraschedular consideration due to his service-connected disabilities preventing him from obtaining any form of gainful employment.

The Board found no credible supporting evidence that the claimed inservice stressor actually occurred, and thus denied service connection for PTSD.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining a VA examination and providing proper notice regarding unavailable service treatment records. The Veteran's claim will be re-adjudicated after these actions.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD does not render him unemployable as his current employment is considered substantially gainful.

The Veteran's PTSD has resulted in occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas since October 16, 2008. The RO granted a 70 percent rating for PTSD effective June 29, 2012, and granted TDIU effective the same date.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for eczema/herpetic lesions is granted. Service connection for a gastrointestinal condition, including GERD, is denied as there is no current diagnosis of the claimed condition during the appeal period and it is not related to service. The Veteran's claim for PTSD is denied due to lack of credible supporting evidence that an in-service stressor occurred.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's PTSD and ADD are related to his service, with the PTSD being secondary to combat exposure.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current diagnosis of PTSD is related to his verified in-service stressors and grants service connection for PTSD.

The Board found that the Veteran's PTSD with dysthymic disorder warranted a 70 percent disability rating, which was granted in April 2011.

The Board has determined that the Veteran timely filed a substantive appeal for his claims of entitlement to service connection for PTSD with night sweats, stress, helplessness, problems concentrating, depression and fatigue; headaches to include as secondary to PTSD; and sleep apnea to include as secondary to PTSD. As such, these claims are now ready for further adjudication.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is rated at 70 percent, and the Board has granted a TDIU rating. The Veteran's PTSD renders him incapable of maintaining regular substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 50 percent since November 29, 2004. The effective date for service connection remains November 29, 2004 due to the reopening of his claim on new evidence. VA compensation is granted at a rate in excess of 5 percent during incarceration from that same date.

The VA denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and a sleep disorder. The VA found that there is no evidence of a current diagnosis of PTSD or any other psychiatric condition.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death. The Board cannot proceed with the case as he is no longer alive.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, which is secondary to his service-connected PTSD, has been withdrawn by the appellant.