PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2017

The Veteran's psychiatric disability, including PTSD, anxiety disorder, and major depressive disorder, has resulted in total occupational and social impairment since September 30, 2010. Effective from September 30, 2010, the Veteran is entitled to a 70 percent rating for his service-connected psychiatric disability and a TDIU effective July 3, 2012.

The Board has reopened the claims of entitlement to service connection for a gastrointestinal disorder, anemia, and schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and/or PTSD. However, it found no new and material evidence to reopen the claim for hypertension.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current PTSD is related to his PTSD diagnosed in service, and therefore grants service connection for PTSD.

The Veteran's PTSD with dysthymic disorder and panic disorder was rated at 50 percent prior to November 8, 2012, and increased to 70 percent thereafter. The Board found that the disability picture did not warrant a higher rating before or after this date.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA and private medical records. The TDIU claim will be considered in conjunction with the PTSD rating issue.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is found to have contributed substantially or materially to his death from cardiorespiratory arrest, with underlying arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease and atrial fibrillation.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to new evidence added after a previous SSOC, and the Veteran requested this.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development and consideration of newly received evidence.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn due to his request for withdrawal prior to the Board's decision.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including verification of in-service stressors and a new VA examination to address service connection for acquired psychiatric disorders.

The Board found that the cause of death, septic shock due to positive blood culture for staphylococcus, was not causally or etiologically related to service or a service-connected disability. The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not substantially or materially contribute to the cause of his death.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 70 percent, which is the maximum schedular rating available. The claims for arthritis of the small fingers on both hands are not compensable.

The Board has remanded the case for a new VA examination to address the Veteran's claims of service connection for psychiatric disability, including PTSD. The examiner is asked to consider the Veteran's accounts of stressful and traumatic experiences during service and their effects on his current mental health.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including verification of in-service stressors and an addendum opinion regarding the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders.

The Veteran's PTSD has been granted and currently rated at 30 percent, effective from November 25, 2003. The Board finds that the current rating of 30 percent is appropriate given the symptoms described.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to a scheduling issue for his requested hearing. The issues of entitlement to an increased rating for PTSD and TDIU are still pending.

The Veteran's headaches, PTSD, vertigo, degenerative changes of the cervical and lumbar spine, right knee with chondromalacia, left knee with chondromalacia, and right shoulder, status-post acromioclavicular separation have been rated based on their current severity.,No further rating increases are warranted for any of these conditions.

The Board found that the Veteran's PTSD was not incurred in or aggravated by service and denied his claim.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD with polysubstance abuse in full sustained remission.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's PTSD and other acquired mental disorders are not service-connected, as there is no credible evidence of an in-service stressor or a diagnosis of PTSD.