PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2018

The Veteran's PTSD claim has been reopened, but service connection for low back disability, left hip disabilities, right hip disabilities, left leg disabilities, right leg disabilities, left foot disabilities, and right foot disabilities is denied.

The Board has granted service connection for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Anxiety Disorder, finding that the Veteran's conditions are related to an in-service personal assault.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus. The cases of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, sleep apnea, psoriasis, and acid reflux condition are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.

All appeals for increased ratings have been withdrawn by the Veteran. The claims are dismissed.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a new skin examination.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, and he is granted TDIU. The right wrist posttraumatic osteoarthritis and left wrist carpal tunnel syndrome with osteoarthritis are remanded for further examination.

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms resulted in occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas, but not total social impairment from February 21, 2013 to August 22, 2015.,As of August 23, 2015, the Veteran experienced total occupational and social impairment due to PTSD.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD and dismissed the other issues without prejudice. The case is remanded to address the TDIU issue.

The Veteran's request to reopen his claim of service connection for left elbow fracture residuals was dismissed. His claim for PTSD was not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence. The issue of TDIU was denied as the combined rating for hearing loss and tinnitus is 10 percent, which does not meet the minimum percentage requirement.

The Board has dismissed the appeal due to the death of the appellant.

The Veteran's PTSD is being remanded for a new examination to assess the severity of his condition, and his TDIU claim is also being remanded due to its inextricability with the PTSD evaluation.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to his service-connected PTSD, finding that there was no causal or aggravating relationship between obstructive sleep apnea and PTSD.

The Board has dismissed the appeals pertaining to sinusitis and residuals of electrical shock. The remaining issues, including service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as PTSD and depression), sleep apnea, and hypertension, are remanded.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for a chronic acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, an anxiety disorder other than PTSD, and a depressive disorder is granted. The issue of secondary service connection for tinnitus causing depression is also addressed.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was denied as he did not meet the diagnostic criteria for PTSD and his symptoms were more likely explained by a different diagnosis.

The Veteran's PTSD is being remanded for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his condition.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, variously diagnosed as 'other specified trauma and stress-related disorder,' PTSD, and persistent depressive disorder (dysthymia), due to new evidence. The Veteran's current psychiatric disabilities are linked to his fear of hostile military or terrorist activity during his Vietnam service.

The Veteran's PTSD has caused occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform tasks, but not total occupational and social impairment. The appeal is denied for ratings in excess of the assigned percentages.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, which reflects occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity. The Board found that the symptoms do not more nearly approximate the criteria for an evaluation in excess of 50 percent.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depressive disorder, due to a lack of credible evidence supporting the Veteran's claimed in-service stressors.