PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2015

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for PTSD with major depressive disorder is being remanded due to the need for additional development and consideration of new evidence.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 70 percent since May 18, 2011. The evidence shows that the disability causes occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood.

The Veteran's PTSD resulted in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity, warranting a 70 percent evaluation.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated as 50 percent disabling prior to June 20, 2013 and greater than 70 percent disabling beginning on June 20, 2013. The appeal for a higher evaluation is denied.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim of service connection for PTSD. The Veteran's current diagnoses include PTSD, depression, and anxiety, which are related to active service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to schedule him for a videoconference hearing at the local RO. The issues of service connection and rating remain unresolved.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain a VA examination and additional VCAA notice, as well as to determine the nature and etiology of any current psychiatric disorders.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for PTSD and granted it, finding that new evidence supports a link between the Veteran's current PTSD symptoms and his military sexual trauma.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining private treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any acquired psychiatric disorder. The appellant seeks service connection for PTSD and other psychiatric disorders.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to scheduling issues, and the Veteran is required to be scheduled for a video-conference hearing.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, manifested by depression, as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities. The decision also acknowledges that PTSD is evaluated under the same criteria as a psychiatric disability.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 70 percent disabling, effective September 5, 2012. The Board found that the Veteran's symptoms prior to October 18, 2011 did not warrant a higher initial evaluation.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to inadequate TDIU examination and the issues are intertwined, requiring further development on both claims.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD and finds that new evidence received since the July 2004 rating decision raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating his claim. The Veteran is found to have current PTSD as a result of in-service stressors, including fear of hostile military activity during his service in Thailand.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU is being remanded due to the need for a Social and Industrial Survey to assess his employability given his service-connected disabilities, specifically PTSD and tinnitus. The ultimate determination of unemployability will be made by the adjudicator based on the functional impairment caused solely by these conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hypertension and PTSD to allow for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and issuing a statement of the case for the PTSD claim.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 70 percent disabling effective July 6, 2010. The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus type II as due to herbicide exposure in Vietnam and denied the remaining issues on appeal.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining private mental health treatment records and a new opinion on whether the Veteran's hypertension is secondary to his PTSD with depression.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU was constructively received by VA on March 22, 2001, the date of his initial PTSD service connection claim. The effective date for the grant of TDIU is set at March 22, 2001, as he meets the rating percentage criteria for TDIU under 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(a) throughout the period on appeal from March 22, 2001.

The Veteran's appeal for an initial evaluation in excess of 30 percent for PTSD was dismissed. The claim for an earlier effective date for the initial 30 percent evaluation for PTSD prior to April 21, 2009 is denied.