PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2018

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder to include PTSD, depressive disorder, alcohol abuse disorder, and cannabis use disorder. The decision is based on the Veteran's in-service sexual assault.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and cervical spine degenerative disc disease, rendered him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment as of October 3, 2012. The Board granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) from that date.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical evidence regarding the Veteran's claimed psychiatric disorders, and requests additional examinations and records.

The Veteran's claims for a separate compensable rating for residuals from a traumatic brain injury and a higher rating for his right diaphragm disability have been denied as the evidence does not meet the criteria for either condition.

The Board has decided to remand three issues: hypertension, migraines, and PTSD. Further evaluations are needed for each condition.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated at 10% prior to February 20, 2013 and 30% after July 13, 2017. The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 70%. Both conditions have not met the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's PTSD has resulted in occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas, such as work, school, family relations, judgment, and mood. The Board granted a 70 percent rating for PTSD throughout the appeal period.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and remanded the remaining issues related to right wrist, left wrist, psychiatric disability including PTSD, SI joint and L5 osteoarthritis, and left ankle osteoarthritis.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and to obtain outstanding VA treatment records.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for clarification regarding whether he wishes to raise a claim of clear and unmistakable error (CUE) in the March 2002 rating decision, which would affect the earlier effective date assigned.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, back disorder, hypertension (secondary to an acquired psychiatric disorder), erectile dysfunction, chronic headache disorder, left and right lower extremity disorders, and acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete compliance with previous remands.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at a 50 percent disability rating, effective from the date of this decision. The Board also granted entitlement to TDIU as of November 17, 2011.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee scar and generalized anxiety disorder (claimed as PTSD) due to insufficient evidence regarding the in-service events. The AOJ is instructed to clarify when the Veteran believes an in-service injury occurred, obtain relevant medical records, verify his periods of service, and provide addendum opinions from appropriate physicians.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of Erectile Dysfunction and an earlier effective date for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his military service or a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, to include panic disorder and a back disorder with arthritis have been reopened. The Board is remanding the remaining issues for further development.

The Veteran's PTSD has been granted a 100% disability rating for the entire appeal period, as it more nearly approximates total occupational and social impairment.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to inadequate VCAA notice and need for further development, including consideration of Persian Gulf Service considerations.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings of PTSD, TBI, and low back strain are being remanded due to the need for a supplemental statement of the case based on recent VA treatment records.

The Veteran's PTSD, migraines, GERD, thoracic strain (low back disability), and tinnitus are all granted service connection.,Service connection for a right knee disability and inguinal hernia is denied.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted with an effective date of May 16, 2008. The decision finds that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities alone are of sufficient severity to produce unemployability since at least May 16, 2008.