PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2017

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD and found that the Veteran's current diagnosis is related to his in-service experiences. The issue of an increased evaluation for ischemic heart disease due to exposure to herbicides remains pending.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development and to schedule a hearing before the Board.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining an addendum opinion from a VA examiner regarding the Veteran's psychiatric disabilities and their relation to his active duty service.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for Meniere's disease and PTSD with mood disorder have been granted. The effective date for PTSD is set at December 29, 2005, which the Veteran contends was not CUE.

The Veteran's PTSD resulted in occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks. The Board found that the severity of his symptoms prior to April 26, 2016 did not warrant a higher rating than 30 percent.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of PTSD, and therefore cannot establish service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder. The Veteran's TDIU claim is also denied as his service-connected disabilities do not preclude substantially gainful employment.

The Board finds that the Veteran's service-connected PTSD was a contributory cause of his death, and grants service connection for the cause of his death.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling an addendum opinion from a VA psychiatrist or psychologist. The issue of entitlement to service connection for PTSD will be readjudicated on the merits.

The Veteran's PTSD has resulted in total occupational and social impairment throughout the appeal period, warranting a 100 percent evaluation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's PTSD is related to his service, including his work at an airplane crash site. As a result, the claim for service connection for PTSD is granted.

The Veteran's PTSD has been found to warrant a 70 percent disability rating, the highest available under current VA guidelines. This reflects significant occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas due to symptoms such as suicidal ideation, near-continuous panic or depression affecting ability to function independently.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disability, including schizoaffective disorder (also claimed as posttraumatic stress disorder and generalized anxiety disorder), was denied because he failed to report to the scheduled VA examination without good cause. As his claim had previously been disallowed in prior final decisions, it is now denied.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to determine whether the Veteran's sleep apnea is caused or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not establish a link between his in-service stressors and current psychiatric disability, nor could it be presumed due to exposure to herbicides. For skin disorders, the issue remains pending as additional development is needed.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 50 percent, and he is granted a TDIU effective December 21, 2012.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, and bilateral foot bunions were denied. The claim for a compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss prior to April 1, 2016 was also denied, while the claim for an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for bilateral hearing loss since April 1, 2016 was not adjudicated as it has been granted.

The Veteran's PTSD was found to cause occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency, but not at the level of reduced reliability or productivity. The combined disability rating did not meet the criteria for TDIU.

The Board has determined that the appellant does not have a service-connected PTSD, an acquired non-psychotic mental disorder other than PTSD (GAD), or a psychosis NOS. The evidence does not support a finding of in-service stressors for any of these conditions.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, which reflects occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity. The Veteran does not meet the criteria for a higher rating as his symptoms do not cause deficiencies in most areas such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood.

The Veteran's claim is being remanded for further development, including an examination to determine the etiology of any currently diagnosed psychiatric disorders and attempts to verify his in-service stressors. The Veteran should also be provided with appropriate notice regarding claims for service connection for PTSD.