PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2016

The Veteran is granted a separate 40 percent rating for urinary frequency secondary to diabetes mellitus, effective from the date of the decision. The other issues remain unresolved.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's fatigue is not due to an undiagnosed illness or a medically unexplained chronic multi-symptom illness related to his service in Southwest Asia. The symptoms are attributed to known clinical diagnoses such as PTSD, back disability, obstructive sleep apnea, and shift work sleep disorder.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for PTSD was denied, and his earlier effective date claim for PTSD was dismissed as legally insufficient. His TDIU claim is moot due to the combined schedular rating he currently receives.

The Veteran's TDIU claim was granted effective June 16, 2010, as he has been unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities since January 18, 2007.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for PTSD and an unspecified trauma and stressor-related disorder, finding that new evidence supports this claim. The Veteran's diagnoses are linked to his in-service experiences, including witnessing traumatic events during boot camp and Vietnam.

The Veteran's PTSD with TBI is currently rated at 70 percent disabling, but the evidence does not support a higher rating.,PTSD and TBI are service-connected, but there is no separate effective date prior to May 4, 2009 for migraines.

The Board has dismissed the appeal due to the Veteran's death and cannot proceed with the merits of the case.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's psychiatric conditions and their relationship to service.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn by the appellant through his authorized representative, and therefore the appeal is dismissed.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is rated at 70 percent, and he is granted a TDIU effective October 5, 2012.

The Veteran's service connection claim for PTSD, anxiety, and depression is granted. The Board finds that the Veteran has a current diagnosis of PTSD, anxiety, and depression related to his military service.

The Veteran's PTSD to include depressive disorder is currently rated at 50 percent, effective from March 22, 2013. The Board found that the symptoms and overall impairment caused by his PTSD most nearly approximated occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for PTSD with alcohol dependence and depressive disorder not otherwise specified is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA medical records and scheduling an examination.

The Board found that there is no current diagnosis of PTSD, and thus denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD. The other issues remain pending.

The Veteran's PTSD and depression are currently rated at 50 percent, but the Board finds that his symptoms do not warrant a higher rating as they do not meet the criteria for a 70% or higher evaluation.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD and depressive disorder are currently rated at 30 percent, effective January 31, 2011. The rating is based on the severity of symptoms such as chronic sleep impairment, depression, anxiety, frequent and violent nightmares occurring several times weekly, impairment of short- and long-term memory, disturbances of motivation and mood, and difficulty in establishing and maintaining effective work and social relationships.

The Veteran's PTSD was granted service connection and assigned a 10% initial rating prior to September 24, 2009. From September 24, 2009, the Veteran is entitled to a 50% disability rating for his PTSD.

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development to obtain private treatment records, personnel records, and VA treatment records. The Veteran's service connection claim for a psychiatric disability is being reviewed due to his claimed exposure in Korea, but no specific unit was assigned as exposed to herbicides.

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms became sufficient to meet the criteria for a diagnosis of PTSD starting from November 7, 2005. The Board granted service connection for PTSD with an effective date of November 7, 2005.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including obtaining a VA examination to determine the relationship between his service-connected conditions and alcoholism, as well as any sleep apnea. The issues of TDIU and service connection for peripheral neuropathy are also inextricably intertwined with these matters.