PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2015

The Veteran's thoracolumbar myofascial pain syndrome originated during her active service and is granted service connection. The psychiatric disorders (depression, PTSD, anxiety disorder) are not directly related to service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have precluded him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation for the entire period on appeal, and the Board has granted TDIU benefits.

The Veteran's PTSD claim was denied, but he received a grant for his left foot injury. The claims of service connection for neck disability, left eye disability, and bilateral hearing loss were not addressed as they are not service-connected. Service connection was granted for ED secondary to PTSD and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), hiatal hernia, and irritable bowel secondary to PTSD.

Service connection for left trigger finger and right trigger finger has been granted with effective dates of October 26, 2006 and August 6, 2007 respectively. Service connection for pes planus was reopened and granted with an effective date of October 26, 2006. Service connection for sleep apnea and left tibial tendon dysfunction has been granted as secondary to service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's PTSD has been found to result in total occupational and social impairment, warranting a 100 percent rating.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 70 percent since March 26, 2008. The Board finds that the disability picture does not more nearly approximate total occupational and social impairment.

The Veteran's dysthymic disorder has resulted in occupational and social impairment, with deficiencies in most areas such as work, family relations, or mood. The Board finds that a rating of 70 percent for dysthymic disorder is established.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including a new VA examination to assess the severity of his PTSD and consideration of his TDIU claim.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, right shoulder disability, neck disability, upper back disability, tinnitus, and PTSD were denied. The effective dates for the grants of service connection for PTSD and low back disability are not earlier than May 6, 2009, and September 22, 2009 respectively.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 50 percent since January 25, 2012. The effective date for service connection of PTSD remains May 11, 2009 due to the reopening of her claim on new evidence. There was no entitlement to a temporary total rating as she did not meet the criteria.

The Board has determined that the Veteran is entitled to service connection for PTSD and anxiety disorder, finding that new evidence from his VA psychologist supports a current diagnosis of these conditions.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder with posttraumatic stress symptoms has not caused occupational and social impairment that warrants a higher initial disability rating.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 70 percent since January 19, 2010. The VA examiner found the Veteran had moderate impairment in social functioning and assigned a GAF score of 45.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, diabetes mellitus, and peripheral neuropathy of multiple extremities, have rendered him unable to secure or maintain any form of gainful employment from February 25, 2010, to November 8, 2012.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including a new VA examination to assess the nature and severity of his PTSD and his current employment status. The case will be readjudicated after this development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of PTSD, finding that no claim was filed prior to June 25, 2009.

The Veteran's PTSD was rated at 10% from August 31, 2010 to June 26, 2014.,Effective June 27, 2014, the Veteran's PTSD is rated at 30%, which is the maximum schedular rating available.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 100 percent effective June 15, 2010. The TDIU claim is dismissed as the PTSD rating already meets the criteria for a total disability rating.

The Veteran's parasomnia was found to have its onset in service and is granted service connection. The issues of increased rating for cervical spine disability, PTSD, and TDIU are remanded.

The Veteran's chronic fatigue syndrome is related to his service-connected sleep apnea, and the claim for service connection is granted.