PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2016

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 30% since December 27, 2007 and increased to 50% effective December 19, 2014. The cervical spine condition remains rated at 10%.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions and need for further development of evidence.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 70 percent since October 22, 2012 and 100 percent since March 20, 2014. The TDIU claim prior to March 20, 2014 is moot due to the assignment of a total disability evaluation for PTSD.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including scheduling a VA examination and obtaining additional medical records. The Veteran's claim of service connection for PTSD related to military sexual trauma will be considered.

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms are rated at 70 percent, the maximum available rating. The Board found that his symptoms do not warrant a higher rating.

The Veteran's PTSD did not result in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity prior to October 28, 2010. For the period beginning on October 28, 2010, his PTSD resulted in significant impairment, including strained relationships, avoidance of crowds, and difficulty sleeping.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and an acquired psychiatric disorder to include PTSD, finding that there is no evidence of a relationship between these conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn due to his satisfaction with the current ratings for PTSD and his desire not to pursue an increased rating.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 50% effective from March 6, 2014. No other conditions have been evaluated.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right shoulder disability, acquired psychiatric disability (to include PTSD), and tinnitus are related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional VA treatment records and a new VA examination of his PTSD.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is being remanded due to the need for stressor verification and additional evidence from Social Security Administration.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, and he asserts that his medications cause him to be unemployable. The Board has remanded the case for a VA examination to determine if his psychiatric medications render him unemployable.

The Veteran's combined rating of 80 percent due to service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease and PTSD, precludes him from securing or following substantially gainful employment. The Board finds that the evidence supports a total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability.

The Board has granted an effective date of August 1, 2007 for the grant of service connection for PTSD and is remanding the case to determine the appropriate initial rating for PTSD.

The Veteran's PTSD and anxiety reaction have been rated at 50 percent since February 3, 2012. The Board has granted a separate 10 percent rating for hypertension effective August 28, 2009.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, thoracolumbar strain, radiculopathy, and migraine headaches, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has determined that the criteria for a TDIU are met.

The Veteran meets the schedular criteria for a TDIU throughout the appeal period, and the overall weight of the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether his service-connected disabilities preclude him from performing the physical and mental acts required by employment. As such, the Board finds entitlement to a TDIU is granted.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to inadequate previous development, including obtaining ships logs and verifying claimed stressors. The Veteran's service personnel records confirm he was aboard the U.S.S. Saginaw from January 1982 to August 1984.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is rated at 70 percent, which grants him a TDIU. The effective date for this rating is not specified as the claim was received in May 2008.