PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2016

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be service-connected due to noise exposure during active duty. The claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder and IHD are remanded.

The Veteran's PTSD was rated at 50 percent from September 15, 2010 to July 24, 2015. The appeal for service connection for pancreatitis has been withdrawn. A TDIU claim is pending.

The Board has granted service connection for a cervical spine disability, but denied the Veteran's increased rating claims and other issues on appeal. The decision is mixed as some issues are granted while others are not.

The Veteran's service-connected CAD has resulted in exercise tolerance limited to approximately 3 METs, resulting in angina since at least December 2, 2015. A 60 percent rating is granted for CAD.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of his PTSD. The Board will also obtain an opinion regarding whether his service-connected disabilities have affected his ability to work.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, have rendered him unable to maintain any form of substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and occupational background.

The Veteran has been diagnosed with PTSD, which is attributable to service and the Board finds that he meets the criteria for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal involves claims for service connection for psychiatric disabilities, including PTSD and dysthymic disorder, as well as a claim for TDIU. The case is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and opinions.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU is being remanded due to the need for additional evidence, including Social Security Administration (SSA) records and private medical records from Drs. D., L., and J.M.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for PTSD was withdrawn during his June 2015 Board hearing. The claim for service connection for headaches has been reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence.,Service connection is granted for headaches, as there is an approximate balance of positive and negative evidence indicating that the Veteran's current headache disorder may be related to events in service.

The Board has granted a higher initial rating of 70 percent for PTSD, finding that the Veteran's condition warrants such a rating based on occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas. The claim for TDIU is also granted.

The Veteran's claimed psychiatric disabilities, including PTSD and depression, were not incurred or aggravated by service. The Board found that the in-service stressors could not be verified.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service connection claim for PTSD is granted, as his claimed in-service stressors are supported by credible evidence and a VA examination confirms he has PTSD related to his military service.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, and the Board has determined that this rating is not sufficient to grant a higher evaluation. The claim for TDIU was also denied as there is no evidence showing that his service-connected disabilities preclude him from maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development and clarification of his claims, including obtaining updated treatment records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Veteran's appeal includes claims for TDIU and service connection for a cognitive disorder, which is secondary to PTSD. The Board has determined that new evidence was submitted within one year of the previous denial, making it potentially material. As such, the case must be remanded to issue an SOC on the service connection claim.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including new examinations and consideration of all evidence added since the May 2015 supplemental statement of the case.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection and TDIU are being remanded to the RO for further adjudication.

The Veteran's PTSD was rated at 50 percent prior to March 9, 2015 and at 70 percent since then. The Board found that the current ratings adequately reflect his disability level.

The Veteran's hypertension is found to be caused or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD.