PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2017

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 70 percent since the appeal period began, and there is no evidence to support a higher rating.

The Board found that the preponderance of evidence does not support a finding that the Veteran's current acquired psychiatric disorder is related to his active duty service or caused by his service-connected right knee and/or right ankle disabilities.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, the maximum schedular rating for this condition. The Board finds that his symptoms are consistent with a 50 percent evaluation.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD, finding that new and material evidence supports a diagnosis of PTSD related to his active duty service in Vietnam.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diagnosed PTSD and Major Depressive Disorder are etiologically related to his active duty service, leading to a grant of service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service connection claim for a psychiatric disability, to include PTSD, cannot be granted as there is no evidence of an in-service stressor event and no medical opinion linking any current psychiatric condition to his military service.

The Veteran's initial rating for PTSD was granted at 30 percent effective December 14, 1990. The Board increased the rating to 70 percent from November 7, 1996, and continued the 30 percent rating prior to that date. A TDIU was also granted effective June 11, 2011.

The Board has ordered additional development to obtain the Veteran's complete service personnel and treatment records, including those from his reported service in the Air Force Reserve and Army Reserve. The case will be remanded for this purpose.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a new psychiatric examination and updated treatment records, as well as addressing the severity of his PTSD symptoms.

The Board found that the Veteran did not have a verified in-service stressor for PTSD and denied service connection.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 50% prior to November 27, 2013 and at 70% from that date onwards. He also has a newly reopened depressive disorder NOS which requires service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, migraine headaches, tinnitus, chest pain, hypertension, and supraventricular arrhythmia, have precluded him from securing and following substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted a TDIU. Regarding the claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 50 percent for migraine headaches on an extraschedular basis, the Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not present such an exceptional or unusual disability picture that the available schedular evaluations are inadequate.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder and PTSD have resulted in total occupational and social impairment, with deficiencies in most areas such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, and mood.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's PTSD is due to a personal assault during service and has been granted service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD with depression is rated at 70 percent since September 26, 2013. The appeal for a higher initial rating prior to this date remains pending.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals regarding the increased rating for PTSD with brain syndrome and residuals of a shell fragment wound of the right knee, as well as the TDIU issue.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for PTSD, for accrued benefits purposes. The Veteran's death was used to reopen his previously denied claims, but the new evidence did not meet the criteria for reopening.

The Veteran's service-connected psychiatric disability, including major depressive disorder with dysthymia and posttraumatic stress disorder, does not more nearly approximate the criteria for a rating in excess of 70 percent due to occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

The Veteran's PTSD with major depressive disorder was rated at 30 percent prior to June 27, 2011 and increased to 50 percent thereafter. The effective date for the increase in rating is not specified.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, including psychosis and depression, was denied as there is no evidence of a mental health condition during or related to his military service.,Service connection for erectile dysfunction was also denied because the Veteran did not have a service-connected disability that caused or aggravated his condition.