PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2015

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD and adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood, are etiologically related to his active service.

The Veteran's claims for an increased rating for his service-connected psychiatric disability and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for a VA examination.

The Veteran's PTSD with related alcohol abuse warrants a staged increased 70 percent rating from April 6, 2015; a rating in excess of 50 percent prior to April 6, 2015 and a rating in excess of 70 percent for any period of time under consideration are not warranted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a PTSD examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current diagnoses of anxiety and depression with features of PTSD are related to his military service, resolving all doubts in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD and her TDIU have been granted. She is now rated at 70% disability due to the combined effect of multiple service-connected conditions, including PTSD.

The Veteran's PTSD was rated at 50 percent effective February 4, 2010.,The appellant is granted a TDIU based on the service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as PTSD, is found to have been incurred during his military service. The right ankle disorder has also been linked to his service and a rating of 30 percent is assigned.

The Veteran's PTSD has resulted in occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks.,PTSD symptoms have included depressed mood, anxiety, suspiciousness, panic attacks, chronic sleep impairment, difficulty adapting to stressful circumstances at work or work-like settings, obsessional rituals that interfere with routine activities, and indecisiveness when making immediate decisions.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 70 percent, which does not meet the criteria for a higher rating. The VA has determined that his condition does not result in total occupational and social impairment.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is granted due to the evidence being at least in relative equipoise as to whether he has a diagnosis of PTSD related to in-service personal assaults.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including bipolar disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder, is being remanded due to the failure to report for a scheduled hearing. The appeal will be returned to the RO in Phoenix, Arizona.

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 Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 50 percent since the initial grant of service connection, and no higher rating is warranted based on current symptoms.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD because no verified or corroborated stressor was of record, and the Veteran did not provide sufficient detail to allow further investigation.

The Board has ordered a new VA examination to assess the impact of the Veteran's service-connected disabilities on his employability. The appeal will be remanded for this purpose.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for PTSD is denied as there is no evidence or statement dated before February 18, 2009, that can be construed as a formal or informal application to reopen the claim.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and conducting examinations to assess the severity of his PTSD and other service-connected disabilities. The TDIU claim will also be considered.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, bilateral eye disorder, and right ring finger degenerative joint disease with osteochondroma, status post fracture and surgery were denied. The claim for hypertension was rated as noncompensably disabling.

The Veteran's PTSD was rated at 50% effective August 27, 2010, due to occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.