PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2017

The Veteran's PTSD has resulted in total social and occupational impairment, warranting a 100 percent rating from April 27, 2015. The issue of entitlement to TDIU is moot as the Veteran is already receiving a 100 percent schedular rating for his PTSD.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, radiculopathy of the left upper extremity, and residuals of a neck injury, have prevented him from securing and following substantially gainful employment since May 10, 1999.

The Veteran's hypertension had its onset during service and is currently rated at 50 percent disabling. The Veteran's PTSD resulted in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity prior to February 10, 2012, but not from that date onward. Prior to February 10, 2012, the Veteran's other service-connected disabilities did not preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's PTSD is found to be related to his military service, and the claim for service connection is granted.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for PTSD has been withdrawn by the appellant, effective July 12, 2017.

The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for PTSD has been withdrawn, and thus the case is dismissed without prejudice.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for PTSD was granted, and the issue of whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen his hypertension claim is addressed. The Board found that new and material evidence had been submitted, allowing the reopening of the previously denied claim.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, which is the maximum schedular rating available. The TBI evaluation has also been denied as there are no residuals of TBI that meet the criteria for a separate compensable evaluation.

The Board has granted service connection for the appellant's PTSD, finding that it is causally related to his active military service. The issue of entitlement to TDIU remains pending.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for PTSD and found that there is at least a reasonable possibility that the Veteran's postservice diagnosis of adjustment disorder began in service. Therefore, the appeal is granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to October 23, 2007.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 30 percent, and the appeal for a higher rating is denied. The cervical spine disability has been restored to a 20 percent rating since October 1, 2007. TDIU was granted since that date.

The Veteran's PTSD with Major Depressive Disorder is currently rated at 50 percent from April 12, 2013 to December 29, 2013. An earlier effective date of June 27, 2008 for service connection has been granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of his claims, including a new VA examination for PTSD and left knee disability. The TDIU claim is also inextricably intertwined with the other issues.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for benign prostatic hypertrophy was denied. The Board also granted service connection for PTSD, but with a specific effective date of July 13, 2010.,The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for PTSD is granted, but only to July 13, 2010.

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms have caused significant occupational and social impairment, warranting a 70 percent rating since June 16, 2015. The Board has considered the impact of his other diagnosed conditions on his overall disability picture.

The Veteran's PTSD with dysthymia has been rated at 50 percent since October 2010, and the Board finds that her symptoms warrant a higher rating to reflect significant occupational and social impairment.

The Veteran's PTSD with insomnia and depressive disorder is granted a higher initial evaluation, but the issue of service connection for his low back disorder is granted as well.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for the issues of service connection for PTSD, chronic depressive disorder, chronic anxiety disorder, and bladder disorder secondary to service-connected adenocarcinoma of the prostate at a hearing before the Board.

The Veteran's PTSD resulted in total occupational and social impairment as of March 6, 2017. Prior to that date, the evidence was evenly balanced on whether her PTSD caused significant occupational and social impairment.