PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2018

The Board denied the claim for service connection of PTSD as there is no current diagnosis that meets DSM-5 criteria.

The Veteran's claim for PTSD with secondary alcohol dependence was denied in October 1991, and the appeal was not pursued. The Veteran submitted a petition to reopen his service connection claim on November 13, 2001, which resulted in the grant of service connection for PTSD. The Board found no evidence supporting an earlier effective date.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus and a rating higher than 70 percent for PTSD, finding that there was no evidence to support these claims.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD and tinnitus do not render him unemployable due to their combined effect, as he has a background in maintenance and HVAC training that could accommodate the need for solitary work.

The Veteran's PTSD has not been manifested by occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas during the appeal, so his claim for a higher disability rating is denied.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD resulted in occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas since May 10, 2013. The Board granted a disability rating of 70 percent for this condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to new and material evidence received by the RO in the first post-decision year, as well as inadequate development of the claim for service connection. The Veteran's mental health conditions are now being considered under a broader scope.

Service connection is granted for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and hypertension. Service connection is remanded for PTSD.,PTSD service connection is remanded as the examiner's opinion regarding its etiology needs to be clarified.

The November 1999 rating decision denying service connection for PTSD is found to contain clear and unmistakable error (CUE). An effective date of August 3, 1999, but no earlier, for the grant of service connection for PTSD has been granted.

The Veteran's heart disability and PTSD have been reviewed, but the appeal is being remanded for further evaluation.

The Veteran's disability rating for degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine was reduced from 20% to noncompensable effective July 31, 2013.,The Veteran's disability rating for right knee medial collateral ligament tear with instability was reduced from 10% to noncompensable effective July 31, 2013.,The Veteran's disability rating for PTSD was reduced from 50% disabling to 30% disabling effective August 7, 2013.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities are not incurred in line of duty due to his own willful misconduct, and thus cannot be granted service connection for any of the claimed conditions.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection of left ear hearing loss is remanded. The initial PTSD disability rating claim remains pending.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 50% effective from March 22, 2017. This rating reflects the severity of his symptoms which include reduced reliability and productivity.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD has been reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. The case is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 30 percent, but the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted as his symptoms do not meet the criteria for a 50 percent rating.

The Board has reopened the claim of entitlement to service connection for PTSD and finds that the Veteran's current diagnosis of PTSD is causally related to her in-service stressors. As such, the claim is granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD and a psychiatric disorder other than PTSD is denied as there is no credible supporting evidence of the claimed in-service stressor events, and his diagnoses do not meet the criteria for PTSD based on verified stressors.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD, but has remanded it for further development to attempt to corroborate the Veteran's reported stressors and provide a new VA examination.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 30 percent since September 23, 2014. Before that date, he was not service-connected for any mental health condition.