PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2017

The Board denied service connection for right ear hearing loss, a spine disability, and a psychiatric disability. The rating for hyperparathyroidism was not assigned as the Veteran's condition had been cured.

The Veteran was found not to be unemployable due to his service-connected PTSD from April 1, 2012 to April 30, 2012 as he had been employed in a full-time position during this period.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent disabling, and the Board denied a higher rating.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for PTSD due to incomplete verification of stressors. The Veteran asserts that his PTSD is related to in-service stressors, including threats by a fellow soldier and suicides of other soldiers.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD and other conditions do not meet the criteria for a TDIU due to his overall disability picture, which includes multiple service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's PTSD with persistent depressive disorder is currently rated at 70 percent, effective May 1, 2008. The evidence does not support a finding of total occupational and social impairment due to the service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, fibromyalgia, and IBS, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. His TDIU claim is granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of PTSD and finds that his depressive disorder is not related to service. Therefore, service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is denied.

Service connection for PTSD has been granted.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been reopened and granted.

Service connection for chronic maxillary sinusitis and allergic rhinitis was denied as the evidence did not show a nexus to service.,Service connection for anxiety attacks with sleeping problems and memory loss has been reopened, but is still not granted due to lack of a direct link to service.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 30 percent since September 15, 2010. The rating is based on the current manifestations of his condition without any need for additional evidence or further examination.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, and the Board has granted a higher rating of 70 percent effective from June 2, 2009. The Veteran also meets criteria for TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran is seeking an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for PTSD with depression and also challenges the denial of service connection in two rating decisions. The Board has remanded the case to allow the Veteran a hearing before a Veterans Law Judge.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's PTSD is attributable to service and granted service connection for this condition. However, there is no evidence of a chronic back disability that manifested during or as a result of active military service.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for the evaluations of PTSD and lumbosacral strain, as well as TDIU. The appeal is dismissed.

The Veteran has been granted service connection for PTSD, which is considered a presumptive condition related to fear of hostile military activity during his deployment.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates and increased ratings have been denied. The effective date for the grant of service connection for sleep apnea is February 15, 2011, as this was the earliest possible date based on receipt of a formal claim. For the painful scar, head injury, an effective date prior to January 30, 2014, cannot be assigned because there is no evidence of a painful or unstable scar within one year prior to that date. The Veteran's PTSD and radiculopathy claims are also denied as they do not meet the criteria for earlier effective dates.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent disabling since September 17, 2015. The left finger disability remains rated at 10 percent disabling since October 12, 2012. TDIU was granted effective September 2015.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for acquired psychiatric disorder, diabetes mellitus, and peripheral neuropathy were denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not have exposure to herbicides during his service in Korea or Vietnam, and thus could not establish presumptive service connection based on herbicide exposure.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date prior to December 7, 1990 for the award of PTSD. The issues regarding reopening service connection claims for hypertension and a heart disability, as well as the propriety of withholding compensation benefits due to incarceration, are remanded.