PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2017

The Veteran's spouse was not assigned as a dependent due to outdated information. The effective date for the assignment of his spouse as a dependent is denied.

The Veteran's service connection claim for PTSD is granted as his diagnosis of PTSD is linked to his combat experience in Vietnam.

The Board has remanded the case due to new evidence received and a need for a VA examination.

The Veteran's schizophrenia was incurred in service and the Board finds that service connection for psychiatric disability, diagnosed as schizophrenia, is warranted.

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms have resulted in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability, but not to the extent that would warrant a higher rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current diagnosis of PTSD with anxiety and depression is related to his military service, placing the evidence in equipoise and granting service connection for these conditions.

The Board found that the Veteran's PTSD symptoms do not present such an exceptional or unusual disability picture with related factors as marked interference with employment, and thus denied extraschedular consideration for PTSD. The issue of entitlement to TDIU was also denied.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to conflicting medical evidence and a need for additional examinations.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 70 percent, which covers most areas of occupational and social impairment.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining private medical records and a VA examination to determine if the Veteran meets the criteria for service connection of PTSD.

The Veteran's PTSD was rated at 70 percent prior to September 18, 2012. The Board granted a higher rating of 100 percent effective September 18, 2012.

The Board has ordered additional development to address the appellant's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including anxiety and PTSD. The VA examiner is required to provide an opinion on whether any current psychiatric disability clearly and unmistakably pre-existed service and was not aggravated by active service beyond the normal progression of the disease, as well as whether at any point since April 2008, it is at least as likely as not that the appellant has had depression, anxiety disorder, dysthymia, and an adjustment disorder, and whether such disability is due to or the result of the appellant's active military service.

The Veteran's PTSD was rated at 70 percent from August 19, 2009 through August 17, 2015. The claim for TDIU was granted during this period. Service connection for residuals of a TBI was denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for PTSD is dismissed as his notice of disagreement was untimely filed.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, is denied as the evidence does not support a finding that he has a current psychiatric disability related to active service.,Initial evaluations in excess of 10 percent are not warranted for the Veteran's right and left knee disabilities due to the lack of evidence showing limitation of motion or other disabling symptoms warranting higher ratings.

The Veteran's PTSD resulted in total occupational and social impairment as of April 25, 2011, warranting a 100 percent rating.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for scheduling a Board videoconference hearing. The issues of service connection, PTSD rating, and left foot dysesthetic mononeuropathy remain on appeal.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension, finding that the preponderance of evidence is against a finding that it was incurred or aggravated during service.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than depression but including posttraumatic stress disorder was also denied.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the evaluation for PTSD, and thus the issue is dismissed.

The Veteran's PTSD has resulted in total occupational and social impairment prior to September 2, 2010. The Board finds that the evidence supports a rating of 70 percent for PTSD.