PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2015

The Board has determined that there is no new and material evidence to reopen the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, anxiety, and depression. The evidence received since the January 2007 rating decision does not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate this claim.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and providing the Veteran with a VA examination to assess his PTSD. The matter of entitlement to TDIU will also be addressed.

The Veteran's death was related to military service, and he may have been eligible for government life insurance. However, the VA has determined that there is a positive association between exposure to herbicides and the subsequent development of respiratory cancers of the lung, which led to his death from a presumptive disability associated with Agent Orange exposure.

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms, while present and causing some impairment in social and occupational functioning, do not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation. The current 50 percent rating adequately reflects his disability.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining SSA disability records.

The Veteran's appeal concerning service connection for chloracne has been dismissed. The claim for an earlier effective date for the 100% rating of PTSD with MDD is denied.

The Veteran's PTSD is granted as service-connected due to in-service stressors involving fear of hostile military or terrorist activity. The other conditions are not addressed by the decision.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 70 percent, but the Board finds that it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating as total occupational and social impairment has not been demonstrated.

The Board has remanded the case for obtaining VA treatment records from Tuskegee and Montgomery, Alabama. The Veteran's claim of a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD and depressive disorder remains pending.

The Board has granted an effective date of February 19, 1985 for the grant of service connection for PTSD with a secondary schizoaffective disorder. The Veteran requested earlier dates but was denied.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for PTSD, pseudofolliculitis, increased rating for hemorrhoids, and bowel incontinence secondary to prostate cancer.

The Veteran's PTSD resulted in reduced reliability and productivity from February 1, 2008, through February 1, 2011, warranting a 50 percent disability rating.

The Veteran's PTSD with depression has been granted an increased rating to 50 percent effective December 12, 2014. The right quadriceps disability claim is pending as the service connection theory is 'new and material'. No exposure basis was provided.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, and he meets the criteria for a TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms have been productive of chronic sleep impairment and suspiciousness, resulting in a GAF score between 40 and 75. The Board has determined that the criteria for a disability rating of 50 percent for service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder have been approximated.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder with polysubstance abuse is service-connected, but the criteria for PTSD are not met. Service connection was granted for alcohol/drug abuse and chronic insomnia, but no heart disability or hepatitis C were found to be related to service. The Veteran does not have a shoulder disability or epididymitis that can be linked to service.

The Board dismissed the appeal due to the death of the appellant.

The Board has determined that the Veteran did not receive notice of his scheduled VA examinations and hearing, which may have resulted in a lack of consideration of his claims. The case is being remanded to allow for rescheduling these missed appointments and readjudication.

The Veteran's claim for increased evaluations for PTSD is being remanded due to the need to obtain and consider VA treatment records from September 2011 to the present.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable, and his migraine headaches with aura are also rated as noncompensable. The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 30 percent prior to November 21, 2011, and at 50 percent beginning on that date.,The Veteran does not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation for his bilateral hearing loss or migraine headaches with aura. His PTSD is currently evaluated as 50 percent disabling.