PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2017

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected coronary artery disease and PTSD have been denied. The current ratings of 10 percent for CAD and 50 percent for PTSD are not considered adequate to reflect the severity of the disabilities.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 50 percent since September 2012, and the Board found that it did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.,For GERD, the Veteran was only service-connected with a 10% disability rating. The Board noted that there were overlapping symptoms with nonservice-connected conditions such as duodenal ulcers, diverticulosis, and chronic gastritis.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD has rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to October 28, 2010. The Board finds that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether he is unable to maintain such employment due to his PTSD.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, IHD, prostate cancer, and erectile dysfunction, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation since June 1, 2013.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 70 percent since January 22, 1998, and the Board finds that this rating is appropriate given his symptoms of occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, and the Board finds that his symptoms do not more nearly approximate occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, degenerative joint disease of the thoracolumbar spine, prostate cancer residuals, traumatic arthritis of both knees, tinnitus, epididymitis, otitis externa of the left ear, deformity of the right great toenail, and erectile dysfunction, rendered him unable to secure or follow any form of substantially gainful employment prior to April 1, 2013.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 50 percent since September 29, 2009. The rating was increased to 70 percent effective July 28, 2016.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings for PTSD and cervical spondylosis was denied. The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated 30 percent disabling, while his cervical spondylosis has not been assigned a rating.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his right wrist and bilateral shoulder disabilities, as well as his PTSD claim, were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support an evaluation in excess of the currently assigned ratings.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus, have rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to February 7, 2011. The Board has granted TDIU on an extraschedular basis for this period.

The Veteran's PTSD is characterized by symptoms of difficulty sleeping, irritability, feelings of detachment, and difficulty concentrating. Throughout the period on appeal, the Veteran's service-connected PTSD and related symptoms impose mild and transient impairments to occupation and social functioning; occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks is not shown.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's PTSD does not warrant a rating greater than 50 percent, and his TDIU claim is also denied.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination and consideration of his spouse's testimony. The issues include an increased rating for PTSD and TDIU.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's PTSD, hearing loss, and tinnitus are at least as likely as not aggravated by service. As a result, these conditions have been granted service connection.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to address the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, which may be related to his service-connected PTSD. The case will be returned to the AOJ for further action.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, effective July 6, 2016. The claim for an earlier effective date for diabetes mellitus type II was granted.

The Veteran's PTSD was not found to meet the criteria for a higher rating prior to February 17, 2016. The issue of entitlement to TDIU prior to that date is also denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the AOJ for further development, including obtaining SSA records and determining if an extraschedular TDIU rating on his service-connected disabilities prior to September 23, 2009, is warranted.

The Board has determined that the evidence submitted does not support reopening of the previously denied claims for service connection for a head injury with headaches, PTSD, and left/right hand disabilities. The Veteran's back disability is also not supported by the evidence.