PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2017

The Veteran's PTSD has caused significant occupational and social impairment, preventing him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment since November 9, 2012. His service-connected disabilities have led to a TDIU rating.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, xerosis, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss, prevent him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted entitlement to total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 100 percent disabling since July 27, 2006. The Board finds that the Veteran has total occupational and social impairment due to his service-connected PTSD.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have current diagnosed PTSD and that any psychiatric disorders, including unspecified depressive disorder, are related to alcohol use disorder. Therefore, service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, and for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support the claims.

The Veteran's PTSD has resulted in occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas, such as work, school, family relations, judgment, or mood. The symptoms have not more nearly approximated total occupational and social impairment.

The Veteran's diagnosed PTSD was related to military service, and the Board granted service connection for PTSD.

The Veteran's PTSD is manifested by occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity due to symptoms such as intrusive memories, difficulty sleeping, persistent negative emotions, diminished interest in activities, irritability, and feelings of detachment from others. The Veteran was granted a rating of 50 percent for PTSD effective May 19, 2015.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was reopened, and the Board found new and material evidence to support the reopening of this claim. The issue of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD is also addressed in the remand portion.

The Veteran's PTSD is granted as service-connected, and the appeal for hepatitis C has been withdrawn.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from obtaining and maintaining gainful employment.

The Veteran's posttraumatic stress disorder is productive of total occupational and social impairment since January 24, 2012.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD and depression were found to be manifested by symptoms productive of occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas, such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking or mood. The Board granted a 50 percent rating for the time period from January 10, 2006 to April 17, 2011.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a hearing before a Decision Review Officer at the RO to address his claims of increased rating for nasal septal deviation and entitlement to TDIU.

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms have caused an inability to maintain substantial gainful employment, but not total social impairment.,A TDIU is granted for the period from March 15, 2011 to April 17, 2016.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that there was no credible evidence of in-service stressors or a diagnosis of PTSD. The Veteran's claimed conditions were not found to be related to his military service.

The Veteran's PTSD was previously rated at 30 percent prior to February 3, 2014 and increased to 70 percent beginning that date. The Board found the evidence did not meet criteria for a higher rating in either time period.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, the maximum schedular rating available. The Board finds that his symptoms do not warrant a higher rating as they do not meet the criteria for a 70 or 100 percent disability rating.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD did not render him unemployable prior to February 14, 2013. Therefore, a TDIU is denied.

The Veteran's PTSD prior to October 3, 2008 did not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation as his symptoms were not severe enough to warrant a rating above 50 percent.