PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2015

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and readjudicating the TDIU claim.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are being remanded to allow for additional development of his medical records, including VA treatment records from the Coatesville VA and SSA records. The Veteran will also be scheduled for examinations to determine whether he has an acquired psychiatric disability related to service or a service-connected condition, as well as whether his erectile dysfunction and left eye disorder are secondary to his inflammatory arthritis.

The Veteran's PTSD is found to be service-connected as it is linked to his combat experiences during Operation Desert Storm.

The Veteran meets the schedular criteria for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The evidence demonstrates that his PTSD likely precludes him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's current diagnosis of PTSD is related to his military service, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining private treatment records and scheduling a VA psychiatric examination to assess the severity of his service-connected PTSD. The TDIU claim will also be addressed.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to his request for a Board videoconference hearing. The case will be forwarded to the Board for further action.

The Veteran's claims for an increased evaluation for PTSD and TDIU benefits are being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination.

The Veteran's PTSD with symptoms of depression has been rated at 70 percent since February 9, 2010 to June 20, 2012.,The Veteran is also entitled to a TDIU based on his service-connected PTSD.

The Board has granted service connection for a C-section scar and lumbar spine disability. The claim for acquired psychiatric disabilities, including PTSD and depression, is substantiated but the issue of bilateral lower extremity disability (peripheral neuropathy) remains pending.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 70 percent, the highest available rating under DC 9411. The disability has been characterized by occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks.

The Veteran has been diagnosed with depression, adjustment disorder, and insomnia related to his military service. His sleep disorder is also related to his military service in the Southwest Asia theater of operations during the Persian Gulf War.

The Veteran's PTSD with mild MDD is rated at 70 percent, the highest available rating under the applicable diagnostic code. The Board also granted entitlement to a TDIU based on service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, and he is granted a TDIU rating.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for a VA examination to determine the severity of his PTSD and its effect on his employability. The AOJ must also obtain all outstanding records, including SSA benefits information, mental health treatment from Dr. Leslie Smith, and VA Camden County, New Jersey treatment records.

The Board found that the Veteran's death certificate and service records confirmed his exposure to combat events during service. However, there is no medical evidence meeting DSM-IV criteria for PTSD. The VA examiner ruled out a diagnosis of PTSD based on DSM-IV.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 70 percent, effective April 12, 2012. The rating has been granted.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and the need for a medical opinion regarding the cause of death.

The Veteran's appeal was granted, with a maximum schedular evaluation of 50 percent for posttraumatic headaches effective from April 13, 2007. The Board also found that referral for an extraschedular evaluation under 38 C.F.R. § 3.321(b)(1) is not warranted in conjunction with the service-connected posttraumatic headaches. Additionally, a TDIU was granted.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders other than PTSD were not incurred or aggravated by active service, and the Board finds that his claims for these conditions are denied.