PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2017

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression, anxiety, and PTSD. The evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether his current anxiety disorder is related to his military service.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including a VA examination to determine the etiology of the Veteran's skin condition and whether it is caused or aggravated by his service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder.

The Veteran's PTSD claim was denied, but he is granted service connection for other psychiatric disabilities including Adjustment Disorder and Anxiety Disorder. The decision is mixed as some issues were granted while others were not.

The Veteran does not have PTSD and her other psychiatric disabilities, including personality disorder, bipolar disorder, adjustment disorder with depressed mood, and major depressive disorder, were not manifested in service or are otherwise etiologically related to service.,Service connection is denied for an acquired psychiatric disability other than PTSD.

The Veteran seeks service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD. The Board has remanded the case to verify in-service stressors and provide an opinion on whether his current psychiatric conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a VA psychiatric examination to determine the nature and etiology of his diagnosed acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, anxiety, and sleep disturbances. The case will be readjudicated after this additional development.

The Veteran has been diagnosed with PTSD related to his active service, and the Board finds that the evidence is in equipoise regarding this claim. Therefore, service connection for PTSD is granted.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as PTSD, is rated at 30 percent. The Board finds that the symptoms do not warrant a higher rating due to lack of objective evidence supporting more severe impairment. Service connection for back and left knee disorders are granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II and increased PTSD ratings have been denied due to lack of evidence supporting a direct or secondary relationship between his conditions and service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, right shoulder strain and DJD, postoperative prostate cancer, residuals of appendix surgery with scars, and erectile dysfunction, are rated at 90 percent combined. The Board finds that these conditions render the Veteran unemployable due to their severity and impact on his ability to work.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including obtaining psychiatric medical records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, pulmonary fibrosis, and dementia, have rendered him unable to obtain and maintain substantially gainful employment. The Board has found that the preponderance of evidence supports his claim for a TDIU.

The Board found no current diagnosis of a mental disorder, and the Veteran's symptoms did not meet the criteria for PTSD or DDNOS. The appeal was denied.

The Board found that the Veteran's PTSD resulted in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity, warranting a 70% rating.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD and adjustment disorder, finding that the evidence did not support a current diagnosis of PTSD or any other mental health condition related to military service.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions have rendered him unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment, and the Board has granted a TDIU rating for the entire appellate period.

The Veteran's PTSD disability picture from February 22, 2012 to April 15, 2014 approximated occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas due to psychiatric symptoms including suicidal ideation and obsessional rituals.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unemployable prior to May 11, 2017. The Board finds that the preponderance of evidence is against a finding of TDIU prior to this date.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development and examination, particularly regarding her claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder. The effective date issue remains on hold until further notice.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for her low back strain and PTSD, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating under the applicable VA rating criteria.