PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2016

The Board denied service connection for urinary tract infections, left hip disability, right foot tendonitis, and bilateral pes planus with plantar fasciitis as secondary to the Veteran's Peyronie's disease. The other claims were not addressed in detail.

The Veteran's PTSD and panic attacks with agoraphobia have been rated at 50 percent since October 1, 2007. The current rating adequately reflects the severity of his symptoms.

The Veteran's PTSD and depressive neurosis are already service-connected, but his skull fracture and scarring from a gunshot wound are not rated higher than the current 10 percent. The skull fracture does not meet criteria for a compensable rating under Diagnostic Code 5296, while the scarring is evaluated at 10 percent based on one characteristic of disfigurement.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment prior to May 11, 2011.

The Veteran's appeal for an extra-schedular disability rating for PTSD has been dismissed as he has withdrawn the appeal.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is not considered permanently disabling, and therefore the claim for a permanent and total disability rating of 100% has been denied.

The Veteran's PTSD was initially rated at 30 percent and later increased to 50 percent, effective May 15, 2012. The appeal is for the initial evaluation prior to this increase.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for his PTSD rating and TDIU, finding that it was not factually ascertainable that an increase in disability was shown within the one-year period prior to June 11, 2012, based upon the applicable legal criteria and the evidence of record.

The Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, mood disorder, major depressive disorder, and anxiety disorder is granted. The Board finds that the evidence supports a finding of service connection based on inservice sexual assault.

The Board finds that the evidence is at least evenly balanced as to whether the Veteran's PTSD with schizophrenia and MDD are related to her military service, including a personal assault. As such, the claim for service connection is granted.

The Board has ordered a remand to obtain service and post-service medical records, as well as an examination for the Veteran's psychiatric disability. The Veteran is also asked to provide information about in-service stressors related to PTSD.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional examinations and development of the record to determine the current severity of his service-connected PTSD and residuals of fractured coccyx.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, and the Board finds that it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD qualifies for reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses incurred at [redacted] from April 8, 2011 through April 9, 2011 due to the severity and nature of his burn injuries.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD and prostate cancer render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, warranting a TDIU.

The Board has remanded the case for a new hearing before a VLJ due to the Veteran's request for postponement. The claims of service connection for schizophrenia and PTSD are still pending.

The Veteran's freestanding claim for an earlier effective date for service connection for PTSD cannot be addressed on the merits as it is a final decision. The appeal is dismissed.

The Board has determined that the record is incomplete and needs to be supplemented with private psychiatric records from Dr. SZK, and then the claim will be readjudicated.

The Veteran's PTSD and major depression are rated at 70 percent, but the Board finds that they do not meet the criteria for a higher rating as there is no evidence of total occupational and social impairment.