PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2018

The Veteran's petition to reopen the claim of service connection for a skin disability was denied. The petition to reopen the claims for hypertension and alopecia areata were granted.,PTSD disability rating prior to July 9, 2013, and in excess of 70 percent thereafter is remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, unspecified anxiety disorder, and unspecified depressive disorder. The Veteran must provide additional records or authorize their recovery, and a VA psychiatrist or psychologist will conduct an examination to determine if his current condition is related to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD, finding that there was no current diagnosis of PTSD and insufficient evidence to establish a link between in-service stressors and current symptoms.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right shoulder disorder and an acquired psychiatric disorder, including bipolar disorder and PTSD. The case is being remanded to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board has vacated the denial of TDIU and remanded for readjudication due to inadequate consideration of the combined effects of the Veteran's service-connected disabilities. The case is being remanded for a VA examination to evaluate the cumulative functional impairment of his service-connected disabilities on his employability.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD. Additional development is needed due to incomplete medical records and unverified stressors.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of PTSD or any other acquired psychiatric disorder, and his mental health symptoms are attributable to a personality disorder. Therefore, service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is denied.

The Board has decided that a VA examination is needed to determine if the Veteran meets the diagnostic criteria for PTSD under the DSM-5 and whether any diagnosed condition, including PTSD, is related to service.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 50 percent, effective from the date of this decision.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating in excess of 10 percent for PTSD has been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.

The Veteran's representative withdrew the appeal for a higher evaluation of PTSD with generalized anxiety disorder.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and insomnia, finding that there was no evidence of a current disability or a link between any in-service event, injury, or disease and his claimed conditions.

The Veteran's claims are remanded due to the need for updated VA examinations and additional medical records.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for hypertension, hernia, psychiatric disability (to include PTSD), and a right knee condition have been dismissed. The appeal for sleep apnea is remanded.

The Veteran's PTSD was rated at 70% prior to February 21, 2006 and as of April 1, 2006. The appeal is denied.,TDIU was not granted before March 5, 2003 due to lack of service-connected disability preventing all gainful employment.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD and granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD. Service connection was denied for diabetes mellitus based on herbicide exposure, cataracts secondary to diabetes mellitus, fungal infection secondary to diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of the left upper extremity, right upper extremity, left lower extremity, and right lower extremity.

The Veteran's PTSD with alcohol abuse/dependency has been rated at 50 percent since the initial grant of service connection in January 2011. The appeal is for a higher rating, but the current rating adequately reflects the severity and impact of his symptoms.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied, and his TDIU claim prior to October 4, 2012 was also denied due to the Veteran not providing necessary information on his employment history.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70% since August 24, 2012. The left-shoulder disorder claim remains denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, and he is granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD, anxiety, and depressive disorder), right shoulder strain, and residuals of a traumatic brain injury. The claim for service connection for a rash remains pending as new evidence was received but does not establish the current condition.