PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2015

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability other than PTSD is pending, and his claim to reopen a previously denied PTSD claim has been granted. The Board will now review the evidence to determine if there is new and material evidence that can be used to support reopening of the PTSD claim.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's PTSD and Major Depressive Disorder are related to service, with reasonable doubt resolved in favor of the Veteran.

The Board has determined that a VA examination is needed to determine the nature and etiology of any diagnosed acquired psychiatric disorder, including posttraumatic stress disorder. The appellant's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disability, including paranoid schizophrenia and PTSD, will be remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD and depressive disorder, finding that the Veteran's current psychiatric disability is related to his combat experiences during service. Service connection was also granted for a heart disability due to herbicide exposure (Gulf War Syndrome).

The Veteran's PTSD resulted in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity prior to April 3, 2013.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records, Social Security Administration (SSA) records, and private counseling records. A VA psychiatric examination will also be scheduled to assess the severity of his PTSD.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, is being remanded due to the need for additional medical records and potential examination.

The Veteran's appeal regarding the issue of entitlement to service connection for sleep apnea has been withdrawn prior to a decision being made.

The Veteran's PTSD resulted in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity prior to February 26, 2009. The Board granted a disability rating of 50 percent for PTSD prior to that date.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 50 percent disabling for the period from October 20, 2006 to June 10, 2014.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, effective January 30, 2003. The Board has determined that the criteria for a higher rating have been met.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD and major depressive disorder, was denied. The claims for increased ratings for peripheral neuropathy were also denied.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 30 percent, and the Board finds that his symptoms do not warrant a higher evaluation as they primarily include occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks.

The Veteran's PTSD resulted in total occupational impairment, but does not cause total social impairment. The Veteran's coronary artery disease has been manifested by a left ventricular ejection fraction of greater than 60 percent and there has been no showing of more than one episode of acute congestive heart failure in any year.

The Veteran's insomnia is already considered in his service-connected PTSD rating, so he cannot be granted separate service connection for this condition.,There is no evidence to support a finding that the Veteran's OSA was caused or aggravated by any service-connected disability. Therefore, service connection for OSA is denied.

The Board has ordered a VA examination to determine the etiology of the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD. The Veteran was exposed to suicides while at Fort Hood and is seeking service connection for this exposure.

The Veteran withdrew their appeal before the Board could make a decision.

The Board has granted service connection for a back disability and a right first metatarsal disability, both found to be related to the Veteran's service-connected conditions. Service connection for PTSD was not addressed in this decision.

The Board has remanded the case due to deficiencies in the June 2012 VA examination and the need to verify additional stressors. The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, will be reconsidered based on the new evidence and findings.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have PTSD and denied service connection for this condition. The TBI with tension type headaches was rated as 10 percent disabling, but the Veteran's appeal of the initial rating is a downstream matter following the initial assignment of service connection.