PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2015

The Board finds that the Veteran's PTSD is the result of military sexual trauma in service and grants service connection for PTSD.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal, indicating satisfaction with the current disability rating for PTSD.

The Veteran's claims for reopening a nervous condition claim, service connection for PTSD and obstructive sleep apnea are being remanded due to the need to obtain additional records from VA and Social Security Administration.

The Veteran's PTSD and Major Depressive Disorder have been rated at 50 percent, the maximum schedular rating for these conditions. The Board has found that a higher rating is not warranted due to his occupational impairment.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death. The claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, schizophrenia, and adjustment disorder, is now moot.

The Board finds that a remand is necessary to obtain additional medical evidence and for further examination regarding the Veteran's claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, and a skin disorder due to herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's service-connected dysthymic disorder and PTSD have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, warranting a TDIU rating.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of his PTSD. The issue of entitlement to TDIU will also be addressed as part of this process.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining treatment records and scheduling a VA examination. The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for PTSD and TDIU remains pending.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and an addendum opinion regarding the lumbar spine disorder. The issues of service connection for a lumbar spine disorder and a psychiatric disorder (PTSD) are on appeal.

The Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 50 percent for PTSD is being remanded due to the need to obtain medical records from a private provider who treated his PTSD.

The Veteran has been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. The Board finds that the disability is presumed to have existed prior to service, and thus service connection for schizophrenia is granted.

The Board has dismissed the issue of entitlement to a TDIU and has determined that an initial evaluation in excess of 30 percent for PTSD is warranted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a new VA examination to determine the current severity of his service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety disorder with history of PTSD. The TDIU claim is also inextricably intertwined and will be addressed concurrently.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA vocational rehabilitation records and sending VCAA notice regarding the Veteran's TDIU claim. The issues of an initial increased rating for PTSD and TDIU are pending.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for bilateral otitis externa was denied. The issue of entitlement to a higher rating for PTSD and the TDIU claim are currently pending.

The Board has remanded the case due to failure to obtain VA treatment records and will be reviewed again after these records are obtained.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently evaluated as 70 percent disabling, and his TDIU claim was denied due to the presence of nonservice-connected disabilities that preclude him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Board found no evidence linking joint pain of the shoulders, knees, and back to service or any exposure to mustard gas or Agent Orange. The claim for service connection was denied.

The Board has remanded the case for additional evidentiary development, including obtaining updated medical records and scheduling a VA psychiatric examination to determine the etiology of the Veteran's claimed acquired psychiatric disorder.