PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2015

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD and follicular lymphoma, but denied the Veteran's requests for earlier effective dates.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine, contributed substantially or materially to his death from metastatic gastric cancer. The evidence is in equipoise as to whether these conditions caused or aggravated the Veteran's gastric cancer.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for an automobile or adaptive equipment due to his service-connected disabilities, as there is no evidence of loss of use of a foot or knee/hip.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current right ear hearing loss disability for VA purposes, and therefore service connection is denied.

The Board found that the Veteran did not have an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, mood disorder, and depression, during his claim and appeal period.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and schizoaffective disorder, was incurred in service. Service connection is granted.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder is found to be related to his service, and he is granted service connection for this condition. Service connection for PTSD is denied.

The Veteran's PTSD with depression has been rated at 70 percent since December 13, 2006. The Board finds that the current rating of 70 percent is appropriate given his symptoms and functional impairment.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, has been dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including obtaining SSA records and scheduling a VA psychiatric examination.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for PTSD due to a lack of current diagnosis based on the verified stressor event of witnessing two soldiers die during basic training. The appellant did not meet the DSM criteria for PTSD.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine his exposure to Agent Orange and the nature, extent, severity, and manifestations of his service-connected conditions.

The Board found that there is no diagnosis of PTSD based on a claimed credible stressor, the Veteran did not engage in combat with the enemy, and there is no credible supporting evidence of the Veteran's alleged in-service stressors. As a result, service connection for PTSD was denied.

The Veteran's PTSD and depression are found to be related to his service, specifically the 1968 riot control in Baltimore. Service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Veteran's PTSD has been productive of occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas, such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood. The criteria for a 70 percent rating (but no higher) for PTSD have been met.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a VA examination and additional development of his PTSD with depression claim. The TDIU issue remains in abeyance pending resolution of the increased rating claim.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling a VA mental disorders/PTSD review examination. The claims will be readjudicated after all requested development is completed.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 30 percent, reflecting occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling a new VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected PTSD.

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