PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2016

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of his claims, including a PTSD examination and an opinion regarding his employability.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining updated VA psychiatric treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any acquired psychiatric disorders.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including scheduling a VA psychiatric examination and obtaining all outstanding VA treatment records. The Veteran's claim will be reconsidered based on the new evidence.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining outstanding private treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to evaluate the current severity of PTSD. The issue of TDIU has also been raised.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining records from Dr. McCreery and seeking an opinion on whether the Veteran had a service-connected psychiatric disorder that contributed to his death.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, effective March 25, 2013. The RO granted a higher rating for PTSD and denied service connection for other conditions.

The Veteran's death did not occur prior to October 22, 2005 and his service-connected disabilities were not rated as 100% disabling for at least eight years immediately preceding his death. Therefore, the appellant is denied accrued benefits and Dependency and Indemnity Compensation benefits at the enhanced rate.

The Veteran's cystic kidney disease was granted an initial noncompensable rating, but a compensable rating of 30% is assigned. Service connection for PTSD and major depressive disorder was also granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD, claimed as a residual to heat exhaustion, is denied because there is no current diagnosis of PTSD.

The Veteran's PTSD resulted in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity from April 20, 2010 to September 24, 2013.,From February 14, 2011, the Veteran's service-connected disabilities met the schedular criteria for a TDIU.

The Veteran's PTSD with anxiety disorder and depression resulted in occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas prior to April 4, 2005, and as of June 1, 2005. The current rating of 70 percent is maintained.

The Board granted service connection for PTSD and assigned an effective date of June 9, 2014. The Veteran's claim was previously denied in May 2012 by the Court.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of PTSD with major depressive disorder was denied as there is no basis to assign an earlier effective date under the law.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for PTSD is being remanded due to the need to address a potential clear and unmistakable error in the August 1994 rating decision.

The Veteran's tinnitus was incurred during his active duty. The Board finds that service connection for tinnitus is warranted.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, PTSD, and an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD. The evidence did not meet the criteria for a current disability as defined by VA regulations.

The Veteran's PTSD with depression and panic disorder is currently rated as 70 percent disabling, but the evidence does not support a higher rating prior to November 8, 2013. The left great toe disability has been rated as non-compensable.

The Veteran's kidney condition with chronic renal insufficiency and hypertension was granted service connection effective March 18, 2003. The Veteran is now eligible for DEA under Chapter 35 of the U.S.C.A. due to this grant.

The VA medical opinion determined that the Veteran's service-connected PTSD did not cause or contribute substantially to his death from metastatic lung cancer.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining his complete private and VA treatment records, Social Security Administration records, and conducting new VA examinations to assess the severity of his coronary artery disease and posttraumatic stress disorder.