PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2017

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for PTSD and granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD. The Veteran was exposed to traumatic events during his military service and a VA psychiatrist confirmed the diagnosis of PTSD.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's anxiety disorder is service connected, as it had its onset in service and there is a link between current symptoms and an in-service stressor.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to address the etiology of his right ankle disability, acquired psychiatric disabilities, neck trauma and lower back conditions. The Veteran has not been provided with a VA examination regarding his right eye condition.

The Board has determined that the case is inextricably intertwined and must be remanded for further development, including obtaining VA traumatic brain injury (TBI) and hypertension examinations.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the AOJ for additional development, including a VA psychiatric examination and consideration of new evidence. The issues on appeal are whether service connection can be established for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD), a skin disability, or bilateral cataracts.

The Veteran's PTSD resulted in significant occupational and social impairment, warranting a rating of 70 percent. The other issues were not addressed due to the remand.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and conducting a PTSD examination to assess the severity of his condition. The TDIU claim will also be reviewed.

The Veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for PTSD is being remanded due to the inclusion of additional documents from his vocational rehabilitation folder. The case will be reviewed and readjudicated, with a supplemental statement of the case provided if necessary.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for PTSD due to missing evidence and updated VA treatment records. The AOJ is required to obtain all relevant medical records, including those from the Houston VAMC and Conroe outpatient clinic, and provide a new VA examination.

The Veteran's current psychiatric conditions, including PTSD and depression, are found to be related to events during his service. After resolving all reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor, the Board finds that the evidence supports a finding of service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's other specified and stressor-related disorder is currently rated at 30 percent, which does not meet the criteria for a higher rating. The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's PTSD resulted in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity, warranting a rating of at least 50 percent. The Board granted an increased rating to 50 percent for the appeal period.

The Veteran's PTSD was rated at 50 percent, and the appeal for a higher rating is denied. TDIU due to service-connected disability is referred for extraschedular consideration.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD, headaches, and irritable bowel syndrome have rendered her unemployable since October 26, 2010. The Board finds that the preponderance of evidence supports this conclusion.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD has been rated at 50 percent since April 11, 2012.,The Veteran is also entitled to a TDIU on a schedular basis.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 50 percent since the effective date of service connection, reflecting significant occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

The Veteran's cognitive disorder is found to be causally related to his service-connected TBI, and the claim for service connection is granted.

The Veteran's PTSD has been granted a higher initial rating of 70 percent since February 1, 2010.,The Veteran is also granted TDIU effective February 1, 2010.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is being remanded due to his failure to report for a VA examination. The Board will schedule another VA examination and consider the evidence of record.

The Board has remanded the appeal for additional development, including obtaining VA examination and etiological opinions regarding service connection claims for ear disability, psychiatric disorder, and low back disability. The Veteran's alleged stressors need to be verified by the JSRRC.