PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2016

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD has been granted, and the earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for PTSD is set at March 8, 1993.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, anxiety disorder and depressive disorder, is related to his military service. The VA will conduct a medical examination and provide an opinion on this issue.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and consideration of VA treatment records. The issues include seeking higher initial ratings for PTSD, right ankle disability, and left knee disability.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II and ischemic heart disease (IHD) due to herbicide exposure. The Veteran's claims for hypertension, PTSD, neuropathy, tinnitus, and secondary service-connected IHD have been granted.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is found to have developed as a result of military sexual trauma during ACDUTRA service. The bilateral eye disability was not manifest during active service and the preponderance of evidence fails to establish that it developed as a result of service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to address the service connection claims, including obtaining relevant in-service treatment records and addressing the theories of service connection.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, specifically Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), is granted. The VA examiner concluded that the diagnosis of PTSD is at least as likely as not incurred in or caused by his fear of attack by hostile forces during service.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD warrants a 70 percent rating, but no more. The appeal is granted for this issue.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected PTSD caused him to use tobacco products, which in turn contributed to his COPD and ultimately led to his death. The Board finds this relationship substantial enough to grant service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current diagnosis of PTSD is related to his service in Vietnam and fear of hostile military or terrorist activity, and thus grants service connection for PTSD.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and a new examination to assess the severity of his service-connected PTSD. The TDIU issue is also inextricably intertwined with the other issues on appeal.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current mental health disability, specifically Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and therefore service connection for PTSD is denied.

The Veteran's appeals have been dismissed as he has withdrawn his appeal regarding the right ankle disability and PTSD/bipolar disorder issues.

The Board has found that the Veteran's PTSD is related to active duty and granted service connection for this condition. The issue of entitlement to service connection for sleep apnea is remanded due to a lack of a Statement of the Case.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD and tinnitus prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation, meeting the criteria for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and major depressive disorder, is found to be related to his military service, specifically witnessing the Ramstein Airshow Disaster in 1988. The Board grants service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for a current examination and an opinion regarding the severity of his service-connected PTSD resulting in alcohol and substance abuse, as well as its impact on his employability. The TDIU claim is also remanded.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for bipolar disorder and PTSD, finding that new and material evidence was received. The case is now remanded to obtain updated VA treatment records, verify the claimed in-service stressor, and schedule a VA psychiatric examination.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining relevant medical records and conducting VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of any hearing loss, tinnitus, and psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining treatment records and scheduling a VA examination. The claims of an increased rating for PTSD and TDIU are inextricably intertwined.