PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2015

The Veteran's service connection claims for PTSD, cheek and eye residuals due to an in-service tooth extraction, shrapnel injury of the left forehead, cold injury residuals of the hands and feet, and ingrown toenails are all granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected psychiatric disability and headaches.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated medical records and scheduling a VA examination. The issue of entitlement to a temporary 100 percent evaluation due to hospitalization for service-connected PTSD requires issuance of a statement of the case.

The Veteran's PTSD with major depression is currently rated at 70 percent disabling, and he has been granted TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's PTSD with major depressive disorder is currently rated at 50 percent, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted. The evidence does not show that his disability has resulted in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity comparable to those listed for a 70 or 100 percent rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's PTSD is related to his combat experiences in Vietnam and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's psychiatric symptoms cannot be distinguished from his service-connected PTSD, and therefore, the grant of service connection for PTSD constitutes a full grant of the benefits sought. The Veteran's service-connected PTSD (including all his mental health symptoms) render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, effective February 25, 2009. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a higher rating for PTSD and denies an increased rating. For TDIU, the Veteran meets the schedular criteria as his service-connected disabilities are reasonably shown to be of such nature and severity as to preclude his participation in any regular substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and occupational experience.

The Veteran's PTSD resulted in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity prior to September 17, 2014. From that date, the disability precluded him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the relationship between PTSD and hypertension.

The Veteran's attorney fees were granted for the increased disability rating and TDIU from May 21, 2008. However, the AOJ incorrectly addressed a previous denial of attorney fees in March 2009.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, back disability (including arthritis), left knee disability (including arthritis), and right knee disability (including arthritis) were denied. Service connection was granted for coronary artery disease with a 60% rating, PTSD with a 50% rating, diabetes mellitus type II with a 20% rating, and chest scar with a 10% rating from April 24, 2013.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated as 70 percent disabling, but the Board finds that his symptoms do not warrant a higher rating due to lack of total social and occupational impairment.

The Veteran's appeals have been withdrawn. The Board finds that the Veteran is unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities, and thus grants a TDIU.

The Board has remanded the case due to conflicting diagnoses and inadequacies of the November 2010 VA examination. A new VA examination by a different VA psychologist or psychiatrist is needed to determine the nature and etiology of all diagnosed psychiatric disorders, including PTSD.

The Veteran's PTSD has been manifested by symptomatology such as depressed mood and sleep impairment, resulting in occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks. This does not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation.

The Board has determined that additional efforts should be made to corroborate the Veteran's reported stressors and a VA examination is needed to clarify his current psychiatric diagnoses and their relationship to service.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, effective October 26, 2011. The Board found that the disability picture more nearly approximates a 50 percent rating due to occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition, to include PTSD, has been reopened. Further development is needed before the Board can adjudicate his claim.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, and a thyroid disorder due to in-service exposure to herbicides. The Veteran's claims are now fully resolved.