PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2018

The Board has decided the case is remanded due to conflicting evidence regarding whether the Veteran has a diagnosis of PTSD based on a fear of hostile military or terrorist activity. The Veteran needs to provide VA with his complete VA psychiatric evaluations and treatment records from November 2015 to the present, and he will be examined by an appropriate VA psychologist or psychiatrist.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of February 16, 1989 for the grant of service connection for PTSD was denied. The Board found no clear and unmistakable error (CUE) in the June 1989 rating decision that initially denied service connection due to lack of evidence linking the Veteran's diagnosed conditions post-service discharge to service. An effective date prior to March 29, 1999 for the grant of service connection was also denied.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 50 percent prior to September 19, 2015, and denied for an evaluation in excess of this. An earlier effective date for service connection is also denied.

The Veteran's service connection claim for PTSD is granted as there is evidence of a verified in-service stressor and the diagnosis of PTSD.

The Veteran's PTSD rating is currently at 70 percent, and a new VA examination is needed to assess the current severity of his condition.

The Veteran's PTSD is found to be related to his service, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for TBI, left hand disability, left eye disability, right shoulder disability, headaches, and PTSD due to lack of verification of in-service injuries. The claims will be further developed to attempt to verify these incidents.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, but remands it for further development and opinion regarding service connection.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's psychiatric disabilities and the need for further development, including corroborating her in-service stressors.

The Veteran's PTSD with memory loss is rated at 70 percent, and the Board has ordered a remand to reassess his disability due to lack of recent VA treatment records and an updated examination.

The Board denied the reopening of a claim for service connection for PTSD and other psychiatric disabilities, finding no new evidence that relates these conditions to the appellant's military service.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, chronic laryngitis, and an acquired psychiatric disability (including PTSD and depression), finding that the evidence did not support a link between these conditions and the Veteran's military service or exposure to toxic contaminants.

The Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD and depression, is remanded due to the need for a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his psychiatric disorders.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for tinnitus, hearing loss, and PTSD have been denied.,Service connection requests for loss of sense of smell, taste, sinus condition, and erectile dysfunction (ED) have also been denied.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at a 50 percent rating prior to April 14, 2016 and denied for an increased rating in excess of 50 percent from that date.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD because the Veteran did not have a diagnosis of PTSD and there was no credible evidence supporting an in-service stressor event.

The Veteran's TBI symptoms are not adequately addressed in his current 70% PTSD rating, and a new examination is needed to determine the appropriate rating for his TBI.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for PTSD and TDIU due to potential issues with verifying in-service stressors and a need for further examination regarding employment impact.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's complete service treatment records need to be obtained and reviewed, as they have not been associated with his claims file. The issues of tinnitus, chronic headaches, and acquired psychiatric disorder (including depression, anxiety, and PTSD) are being remanded for further development.

The Veteran's PTSD with major depressive disorder is granted at a 70 percent evaluation, effective from the date of the appeal.,The Veteran's TDIU claim for service-connected disability is granted.