PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2018

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, and the Board denied an increased rating.,The Veteran also sought a TDIU rating but was denied.

The Veteran's claim for PTSD has been granted, and the issue of TDIU is remanded due to incomplete information provided by the Veteran regarding his employment history.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD has been reopened and is granted.

The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's claimed conditions, including acute alcoholism, pancreatitis, diabetes mellitus I (DM I), cerebrovascular accident (CVA) or stroke, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The Board found that there was no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.

The Board denied service connection for hearing loss, hypertension, and PTSD. The Veteran did not have current disabilities for VA purposes related to these conditions, and there was no evidence of a nexus between the claimed conditions and service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU due to incomplete medical records, need for new examinations, and inextricably intertwined issues.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 30 percent, and the Board has remanded to determine if a higher rating is warranted. The TDIU claim has also been raised but not addressed yet.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and readjudication due to failure to comply with prior remand directives.

A higher initial disability rating of 50 percent for PTSD from October 1, 2011 to August 1, 2013 is granted.,An initial disability rating for maxillary sinusitis of 10 percent, but no higher, from October 1, 2011 to August 29, 2013 is granted; a rating in excess of 50 percent from August 29, 2013 is denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection and related issues due to outstanding VA treatment records, and to clarify whether any current psychiatric symptoms are related to active service or Vietnam-era stressors. The stroke claim is inextricably intertwined with the PTSD issue.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation prior to July 14, 2008.

The Veteran's service connection for PTSD, anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder is granted. The initial rating for tinnitus remains at 10 percent. Service connections are also granted for various other conditions including right hip, knee, ankle, foot disabilities, hypertension, cardiovascular disorders, sleep apnea, and bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and PTSD. Tinnitus is due to noise exposure during active service, while PTSD is related to a verified in-service stressor.

The Board denied the reopening of the claim for PTSD because new evidence did not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for PTSD is remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining missing treatment records from a Vet Center and scheduling a new VA examination.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not meet the criteria for special monthly compensation based on need for regular aid and attendance or at the housebound rate due to his inability to perform daily activities independently.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for PTSD service connection is denied. The Board finds that the earliest indication of intent to file a claim was in 2014, and thus June 24, 2014 is the appropriate effective date.

The Board has remanded the case due to pending claims that could impact the TDIU determination. The Veteran's claim for TDIU is being remanded until all service connection and new and material evidence issues are resolved.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient verification of a personal assault stressor for PTSD. The Veteran's claim will be reconsidered after further development, including obtaining evidence from other sources and examining the Veteran for VA purposes.

The Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation (SMC) benefits at the housebound rate prior to November 21, 2007 was denied because he did not meet the criteria for SMC based on his service-connected disabilities. He had a single disability rated as 100% but no additional service-connected disability or disabilities independently ratable at 60%, separate and distinct from the 100% service-connected disability, nor was he permanently housebound due to service-connected disability.