PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2015

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not show objective symptoms warranting a rating in excess of 50 percent for his acquired psychiatric disorder, nor did it show other deficiencies in most areas such as work, school, family relationships, judgment, thinking or mood.

The Veteran's PTSD with depressive and cognitive disorders is currently rated at 50 percent, effective March 23, 2012. The Board denied an initial rating in excess of 50 percent for the condition prior to that date. As a result, the issue of entitlement to TDIU remains moot.

The Veteran's service-connected psychiatric disabilities, including major depressive disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder, are currently manifested by occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity due to symptoms such as flattened affect, difficulty in understanding complex commands, impaired short- and long-term memory, disturbances of motivation and mood, and difficulty establishing effective relationships. Effective June 1, 2010, the Veteran's psychiatric disabilities warrant a disability evaluation of 70 percent.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 50 percent disabling for the period prior to May 25, 2010. The rating reflects occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity due to symptoms such as impaired memory, anxiety, depression, intrusive thoughts, sleep impairment, and difficulty in establishing effective social relationships.

The Veteran's PTSD was granted service connection based on an in-service sexual assault. The left wrist disability and residuals of a left arm laceration with left ulnar neuropathy were not addressed due to the remand.

The Veteran withdrew her appeals for the initial ratings of major depression with PTSD, migraine headaches, vertigo, and left eye macular on retinal detachment, status post buckle procedure.

The Board has reopened the previously denied claim for service connection for PTSD and granted it, finding that new evidence received since the May 2008 denial supports a diagnosis of PTSD due to military sexual trauma. The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder claim is remanded for further adjudication.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and additional medical records, including those from private physicians.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the Veteran's incarceration and inability to attend a VA examination. The case will be returned for further development, including obtaining prison treatment records and scheduling an in-person or remote examination if feasible.

The Veteran's PTSD with depression is rated at 70 percent, and his post gastrectomy disability is rated at 60 percent. The Board granted the Veteran a TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss and issuance of a statement of the case on his claim for PTSD.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for scheduling a videoconference hearing with the Board of Veterans' Appeals.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 70 percent, reflecting significant impairment in work and social functioning. His alcohol abuse is not service-connected.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal on all issues related to the severance of service connection for PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and residuals of malaria.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is found to be of such severity that it precludes him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment, warranting a TDIU.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions did not render him unable to obtain and maintain gainful employment prior to March 5, 2008. Since then, he has had a combined evaluation of at least 60 percent for his service-connected disabilities, but the VA examiner found that these conditions do not preclude sedentary employment.

The Board has determined that the appellant meets the legal criteria for basic eligibility for VA home loan benefits due to his service-connected PTSD and active duty during the Persian Gulf War. His request for a Certificate of Eligibility is therefore granted.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain updated VA treatment records and to schedule the Veteran for an appropriate VA examination to determine if his current psychiatric disorders are related to service.

The Veteran's PTSD has been found to result in total occupational and social impairment, warranting a 100 percent disability rating for the entire appellate period.