PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2017

The Veteran's claim for service connection for alcohol abuse, secondary to PTSD, has been reopened and granted.,Service connection was denied for a sleep disability and gastrointestinal disability, both of which are considered symptoms of the Veteran's service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 30% prior to June 26, 2015 and at 50% from that date onwards. The cognitive disorder is separately evaluated.

The Veteran's tinnitus, DM2, and PTSD have been granted service connection. The Veteran is currently rated at 70 percent for PTSD, which meets the criteria for a higher rating. His DM2 has also been granted an increased rating to 70 percent.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent since June 8, 2016, due to total occupational and social impairment.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is considered the principal cause of his death from cardiac arrest due to coronary artery disease.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain updated evaluations and examinations for his PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The issues of service connection are also being remanded.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran that corroborates his reported in-service stressors. The VA will schedule a psychiatric examination and provide an opinion on whether any identified psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and anxiety disorder, are related to his military service.

The Board has expanded the claim to include service connection for any acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, depressive disorder, panic disorder, and bipolar disorder. The case is being remanded for a VA examination to determine the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case for further development to determine if the Veteran's psychiatric disabilities are related to his service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and an initial rating for acquired psychiatric disorders prior to February 9, 2013 have been granted. The Veteran is currently rated at the highest possible percentage (100%) due to total occupational and social impairment.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including depressive disorder and PTSD, is not attributable to service.

The Board has determined that a new examination and medical opinion are necessary to determine the etiology of the Veteran's current psychiatric disorder, including whether it is related to his service. The Veteran participated in combat during active duty in Vietnam.

The Veteran's PTSD causes occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas, but does not cause total occupational and social impairment. Therefore, the current rating of 70 percent is appropriate.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, as he is limited to moderate physical and sedentary work not involving extensive social interaction.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and substance abuse disorder, is related to his military service. His tinnitus was also linked to noise exposure during service.

The Veteran's claim for PTSD was denied in May 2002, and the effective date of service connection is set at April 30, 2013.

The Board has remanded the case due to the Veteran's failure to report for scheduled VA examinations. The case will be returned to the AOJ for further development.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records from the Babylon Vet Center and updated VA treatment records. The issues of entitlement to a higher rating for PTSD and anxiety disorder with social phobia effective February 26, 2010, and an earlier effective date for TDIU are inextricably intertwined.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining additional medical records and verifying the Veteran's claimed stressors. The appeal is currently in a pending status.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from obtaining or maintaining a substantially gainful occupation.