PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2017

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a new examination to assess the severity of his PTSD with anxiety and updated VA treatment records. The issues of increased evaluation for PTSD and TDIU are inextricably intertwined and will be readjudicated together.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and Schizoaffective Disorder due to a lack of verified in-service stressors, and because there is no evidence of any psychiatric complaints or treatment during service. The diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder was not related to military service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to the need for medical opinions regarding the Veteran's psychiatric and back disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD and major depressive disorder, finding that the Veteran's current symptoms are related to his in-service stressors.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for an initial rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD with alcohol dependence.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his PTSD and ischemic heart disease, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 50 percent since January 29, 2010. The rating is based on the current manifestations of reduced reliability and productivity due to symptoms such as flattened affect, panic attacks, and difficulty understanding complex commands.

The Board found no evidence of a non-PTSD psychiatric disorder or depression and anxiety having its onset during military service, and thus denied the Veteran's claims.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, which includes PTSD and major depression, is currently rated at 70 percent. The Board finds that the Veteran meets the criteria for a TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for PTSD remains pending before the Board. The case is being remanded to obtain treatment records and provide a VA opinion.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for his service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD and anxiety, was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not show occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity as required for a higher initial rating.

The Board finds that the evidence is at least in equipoise that the Veteran's service-connected PTSD aggravates his GERD, and grants service connection for GERD as secondary to PTSD.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD has been rated at 70 percent since August 1, 2008. The Board granted a TDIU effective from August 1, 2008.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional records from SSA and VA, as well as any private providers. The claims will be adjudicated again in light of all pertinent evidence.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for a new VA examination to determine if his current acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is related to his period of active service. The Veteran contends that he developed PTSD due to his experiences in Vietnam.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disability, including PTSD and psychosis, was denied. The Board found that there is no verified in-service stressor of personal assault or witnessing the death of a fellow servicemember. There is also no evidence of a snake bite or other combat-related incident. The Veteran does not have PTSD, but has an unspecified depressive disorder which is due to chronic pain and related to service-connected thoracolumbar strain.,The claim for service connection for an unspecified depressive disorder was granted. The Board found that the Veteran's current depressive disorder is likely due to a combination of pain from nonservice-connected disability (nonservice-connected pain) and service-connected thoracolumbar spine disability.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for further development due to incomplete records and need for additional medical opinions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's sleep apnea is aggravated by his service-connected PTSD, and thus grants the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and Vocational Rehabilitation records. The TDIU claim is also being remanded as it is intertwined with the PTSD evaluation.