PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2017

The Veteran's mood disorder, claimed as PTSD due to military sexual trauma, has been productive of total occupational and social impairment, warranting a 100% disability rating.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain updated findings for his bilateral hearing loss, hepatitis C, and injury to Muscle Group XII. The issue of increased rating for PTSD requires a medical opinion on the effects of any substance abuse disorders.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus has been granted. The Board finds that the Veteran's tinnitus is causally and etiologically linked to his active service noise exposure, and thus grants service connection for tinnitus.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for a left foot disability, dental trauma, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (insomnia, depression, anxiety, PTSD). He also seeks increased ratings for his lower back and right shoulder disabilities. Additionally, he requests TDIU.,The Veteran has filed a claim for service connection due to a dental trauma in service. The VA treatment records from the Perkins Dental Clinic and Dr. Kim's office have not been obtained yet.,The Veteran is seeking service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (insomnia, depression, anxiety, PTSD). He also seeks increased ratings for his lower back and right shoulder disabilities. Additionally, he requests TDIU.,The Veteran is seeking service connection for a neck disability. The VA treatment records from Dr. Kim have not been obtained yet.,The Veteran is seeking an increased rating for his lower back disability. An additional examination is needed to determine the extent of pain and loss of function during motion.,The Veteran is seeking an increased rating for his right shoulder disability. An additional examination is needed to determine the extent of pain and loss of function during motion. The examiner should also consider whether there are any flare-ups that cause additional functional loss.,The Veteran is seeking TDIU. He has not provided updated information on his employment status since the last VA adjudication.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, was granted service connection. Service connection for left elbow, left shoulder, right ankle, and right knee disorders were denied due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service or a service-connected disability. Service connection for thoracolumbar spine disorder, testicular pain, chest pain (costochondritis), stomach pain, and headaches was also denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's TBI and PTSD are related to her service, warranting a grant of service connection for both conditions.

The Veteran's claim for a higher disability rating for PTSD was granted effective December 17, 2009. The Board found that the criteria for a 100% disability rating were met as of this date.

The Board found no evidence of current residuals of a head injury, including dyslexia, and denied the Veteran's claims for service connection.

The Board has determined that there is no current diagnosis of a psychiatric disability, including PTSD. As such, the claim for service connection for a psychiatric disability is denied.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn by his representative, and the Board is dismissing the case.

The Board found that the Veteran's current eye/vision disability and acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, are not related to his military service or any service-connected conditions. The evidence does not support a finding of service connection for these disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been denied. The Board has also remanded several issues, including scheduling a videoconference hearing.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for erectile dysfunction as secondary to his service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, was granted. The appeal for an increased rating for PTSD prior to February 1, 2013 and from February 1, 2013 until November 2, 2015, and a TDIU claim since January 1, 2016 were also granted.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to a failure to address the Veteran's PTSD medication and its relationship to hypertension.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 30 percent since August 5, 2008. The Board found that the preponderance of evidence established occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks due to symptoms such as depressed mood, anxiety, suspiciousness, chronic sleep impairment, difficulty concentrating, mild memory loss, irritability, disturbances of motivation and mood, suspiciousness, occasional panic attacks, and some social withdrawal.

The Veteran's PTSD was rated at 100% effective December 3, 2012. The cold injury residuals of the right and left lower extremities were rated as 30%. The peripheral neuropathy of the right and left lower extremities was rated as 40% from April 11, 2016 onwards. For the period prior to December 3, 2012, the Veteran's PTSD warranted a TDIU.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is found to have its onset during service and has been recurrent since then, warranting service connection.,The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder had its onset during service and was confirmed by a VA mental health provider.

The Board has remanded the case for an addendum VA psychiatric examination to address whether any currently diagnosed psychiatric disorder clearly and unmistakably pre-existed service and was not aggravated by service.

The Veteran's PTSD did not result in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity from April 10, 2006 to October 14, 2008. Therefore, an initial rating in excess of 30 percent is denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and diabetes, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation since February 7, 2012.