PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2017

The Board is remanding the case for further development to determine if the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including major depressive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder, are related to service. The examiner must provide a clear diagnosis of any preexisting conditions and their relationship to service.

The Veteran's asthma and PTSD have been granted service connection. The Board found that the Veteran's shortness of breath is related to service exposure, while his sleep apnea status remains unclear. His PTSD has been rated at 50%.

The Veteran's service-connected degenerative disc and joint disease of the thoracolumbar spine, right foot heel spurs, left foot heel spurs, and OSA are all granted. The claim for PTSD is denied as not incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Board has remanded the case for obtaining Social Security Administration (SSA) records related to PTSD. The Veteran's claim will be reconsidered after these records are received.

The Veteran's PTSD with major depressive disorder is rated at 50 percent, and the Board finds that separate ratings for PTSD and major depressive disorder would constitute pyramiding. The appeals for service connection for hypertension, COPD, and a neck disability are denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining SSA disability records and VA treatment records.

The Board finds that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is related to his military service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board finds that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is not related to his military service and is not secondary to a service-connected disability. The claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, is denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, standing alone, are shown to be of such severity as to effectively preclude all forms of substantially gainful employment.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD. The evidence does not support a finding that the Veteran experienced a verified stressor associated with his claimed PTSD and there is no credible supporting evidence of any in-service stressful events. Additionally, there is no medical evidence linking any diagnosed psychiatric disorders to service.

The Veteran's service connection claims for PTSD, hypertension, erectile dysfunction, right and left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, as well as increased ratings for lower extremity peripheral neuropathies were granted. Service connection was established for PTSD based on in-service stressors verified by evidence of record. The Veteran's current diagnoses of hypertension, erectile dysfunction, and peripheral neuropathies are all found to be related to his service-connected type II diabetes mellitus.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have current bilateral hearing loss or an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, and therefore service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical evidence regarding the Veteran's claimed acquired psychiatric disorder and respiratory disability, as well as issues related to service connection.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 50 percent since the date of service connection, reflecting occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD rendered him unemployable, and he was granted a TDIU effective April 28, 2010. The Board found that an earlier effective date of February 21, 2008 is warranted as the Veteran had been rendered unemployable due to his PTSD at that time.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including depressive disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), is being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to assess the current severity of his service-connected PTSD and Duodenal Ulcer.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings on all issues was denied. The Veteran is not entitled to a higher rating for PTSD, tinnitus, or the residuals of a stab wound to the abdomen with laparotomy and small bowel repair with scars as these conditions are already rated at their maximum levels under applicable VA regulations.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for PTSD and finds that new evidence received is sufficient to establish a current diagnosis, thus granting service connection.