PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2016

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent disabling, effective July 21, 2011. The Board found that the symptoms of anxiety, depression, mild memory loss, and sleep impairment are adequately captured by the current disability rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's PTSD is related to his service in Vietnam, and therefore grants service connection for PTSD.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's psychiatric disabilities, including Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), based on new and material evidence. The effective date is not specified.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (PTSD, right shoulder impingement syndrome, tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, and right deltoid scar) render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, effective from March 20, 2013.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is found to be aggravated by his service-connected PTSD, and the claim for service connection for sleep apnea secondary to PTSD is granted.

The Veteran's PTSD manifests with considerably impaired ability to establish or maintain effective relationships and considerable industrial impairment, warranting a 50 percent disability rating.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's appeal on a third time due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the etiology of his sleep apnea disability. The case is now being returned for further development and readjudication.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining updated medical records and scheduling a VA examination. The Veteran's claims of service connection for PTSD, COPD, and burn scars are pending.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have bilateral hearing loss for VA purposes and therefore, service connection is denied.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to missing medical records from the San Francisco VA Medical Center.

The Veteran's PTSD has been evaluated at a 70 percent rating, which is the maximum schedular evaluation available. The Board also granted entitlement to TDIU based on her service-connected PTSD.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals regarding her claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and headaches, as well as her claim for an increased rating for residuals of a right ear injury. The effective date for the grant of Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits was granted but not earlier than June 26, 2015.

The Veteran's PTSD is manifested by total impairment of social or occupational adaptability, warranting a 100% rating.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD, tinnitus, and left ear hearing loss. The right ear hearing loss claim is remanded due to conflicting evidence.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected PTSD.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD, major depressive disorder, panic disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder, are related to his service and grants service connection for these conditions.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and granted a 60 percent disability rating. The other issues remain pending.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining Social Security Administration (SSA) records and VA treatment records. The issues of entitlement to a disability rating in excess of 30 percent prior to January 17, 2012 for PTSD and entitlement to TDIU are still pending.

The Veteran's PTSD has resulted in occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas, but not total occupational and social impairment. A higher initial rating of 70 percent for PTSD is granted.