PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2016

The Veteran's PTSD with major depression resulted in occupational and social impairment, with deficiencies in most areas such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood. The symptoms included depressed mood; anxiety; suspiciousness; chronic sleep impairment; mild memory loss; flattened affect; difficulty establishing and maintaining effective work and social relationships; suicidal ideation; and obsessional rituals that interfere with routine activities.

The Veteran is granted an effective date of April 16, 1984, for the grant of service connection for PTSD with depression and alcohol dependence. The earlier effective dates requested are denied.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to new evidence received after a July 2015 supplemental statement of the case. The issues include service connection for low back disability, acquired psychiatric disability including PTSD and depression, left ankle disability, and TDIU.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining medical opinions and additional VA treatment records. The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is pending.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD contributed substantially or materially to his death from a fall resulting in a subarachnoid hemorrhage.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, effective April 2008. The Board found that the symptoms of his PTSD have resulted in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

The Board has granted service connection for a psychiatric disorder, to include Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), based on credible supporting evidence of an in-service stressor. Service connection for a gastrointestinal disorder manifested by chest pain is denied.

The Board has granted a 50 percent rating for PTSD prior to January 26, 2009 and denied an increased rating. The TDIU claim was also addressed, with the Veteran receiving a total disability rating based on individual unemployability from September 3, 2008 onwards.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further examination and opinion regarding his PTSD and chronic fatigue. The issues of entitlement to an increased rating for PTSD and service connection for chronic fatigue are being addressed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed conditions are not related to service, and therefore, service connection is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have residuals of a head injury incurred in service and denied his claim for service connection. For PTSD, the rating assigned is 30% but no higher.

The Veteran's appeal for a TDIU is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and employment records.

The Veteran has withdrawn her appeal for the issues of entitlement to service connection for bilateral corneal abrasion, a left hand disorder, sinusitis, and gingivitis.

The Veteran's PTSD is found to be related to military sexual trauma in service, and she has other psychiatric disorders that are secondary to her PTSD.,The Veteran's GERD and sleep apnea are found to be secondary to her PTSD.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 70 percent, the maximum rating available under Diagnostic Code 9411. The VA examiner found that the Veteran's symptoms resulted in occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.

The Board has remanded the case for issuance of a Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC) to address additional evidence received after the previous Statements of the Case. The issues include service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, higher ratings for degenerative disc disease and radiculopathy, and TDIU.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hepatocellular carcinoma, which was caused by his alcohol abuse due to PTSD, is service-connected as a result of his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's PTSD more nearly approximates occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas, such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood. The 70 percent rating is granted effective December 5, 2011.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disorder and psychiatric disorders (including PTSD, depression, and adjustment disorder) was denied as there is no evidence of an in-service injury or disease that caused the current conditions. The Board found that the Veteran did not have a diagnosis of PTSD linked to any corroborated in-service stressor and other diagnosed psychiatric disorders are not shown to have had an onset during service or be related to service.