PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2015

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for all issues related to service connection and ratings for positional vertigo, PTSD, bilateral sensorineural hearing loss prior to May 9, 2007, and from May 9, 2007.

The Board found that the Veteran's reported stressor event during service did not support a diagnosis of PTSD, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's PTSD is productive of occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas, including work, family relations, judgment, thinking and mood. The Board finds that a 70 percent disability rating for PTSD throughout the duration of the appeal period is warranted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for PTSD and an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, to include bipolar affective disorder, should be remanded due to inadequate development of records from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base and a need for another VA examination.

The Veteran's PTSD was not manifested by symptoms such as gross impairment in thought processes or communication, persistent delusions or hallucinations, grossly inappropriate behavior; persistent danger of hurting self or others, intermittent inability to perform activities of daily living (including maintenance of minimal personal hygiene), disorientation to time or place, or memory loss for names of close relatives, own occupation, or own name. Therefore, the Veteran's claim for an initial rating higher than 30 percent for PTSD prior to September 18, 2015 was denied.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD, a neck disability, and memory loss. The Veteran's mild blepharitis of the eyes is rated at 10%.

The Veteran seeks service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, to include PTSD. The Board has determined that the current VA examination is inadequate and remanded the case for further development.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for PTSD, peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity, and hypertension were denied. The claim for an earlier effective date for diabetes mellitus was also denied.

The Veteran's service connection claims for PTSD and an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD were denied as there was no evidence of in-service stressors or a current diagnosis of PTSD.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his claims, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and arranging for examinations to assess the current severity of his PTSD, low back disability, left knee degenerative arthritis, and right knee synovitis.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at the highest possible level (100%) due to total occupational and social impairment. The issues of service connection for erectile dysfunction, coronary heart disease, hypertension, a neurological disability, and peripheral vascular disease are remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his left leg disability and sciatica, prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment. The Board finds that a TDIU rating is warranted.

The Board has remanded the case for a new VA examination to determine whether the Veteran currently has a psychiatric disability that is at least as likely as not related to his service in Vietnam.

The Veteran's PTSD is found as likely as not due to a verified in-service stressor of physical assault, and service connection for PTSD is granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus has been granted due to exposure to herbicides. The issue of a TDIU is also addressed, with the Veteran being found eligible.

The Veteran's service connection claim for PTSD was denied as there is no evidence of a nexus between the claimed in-service stressors and his current condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disabilities, including depression, anxiety, and PTSD, did not manifest during active military service and are not otherwise related to a disease, injury, or event during service. Therefore, the claim for service connection is denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for glaucoma, PTSD, and nuclear sclerotic cataracts were all denied. The evidence did not establish a link between the conditions and service or any service-connected disability.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the inadequacy of the November 2012 VA examination and the need for updated treatment records. A new examination will be conducted to determine if PTSD can be service-connected.

The Board finds that the Veteran's TBI and PTSD symptoms, which were present after his combat exposures in Iraq, bore on his state of mind at the time he missed his return flight. This evidence presents a compelling circumstance to have warranted the prolonged unauthorized absence, thus not barring him from VA benefits.