PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2018

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination.

The Board denied service connection for a right great toe condition and an acquired psychiatric condition, including PTSD with alcohol dependency, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia. The Board found no evidence of a confirmed in-service stressor for PTSD and concluded that the Veteran's current psychiatric conditions are not related to his military service.

The Veteran's low back disability and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy are granted, as is a 70 percent rating for PTSD from March 17, 2017. The PTSD prior to that date is denied.

The Board has denied service connection for diabetes mellitus due to lack of exposure to herbicides and the absence of a causal relationship. Service connection for PTSD is remanded as there are outstanding records that need to be obtained.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, PTSD, and Sjogren's syndrome. The decision found that new evidence did not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss. For PTSD, the Board noted there was no diagnosis of PTSD in the record. For Sjogren's syndrome, the Board concluded there is insufficient evidence linking it to service.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 70 percent from August 24, 2005 to March 24, 2015.

Service connection for a psychiatric disorder, residual right wrist scars, and residual pilonidal cyst removal scar are granted. A 10% evaluation is assigned for the residuals of these conditions starting from November 6, 2012.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's previously denied claims for PTSD and anxiety disorder, NOS, finding that new evidence received since the June 2006 rating decision is both new and material. The Board then determined that service connection was warranted based on a personal assault during military service.

The Veteran's PTSD with alcohol dependence is rated at 70 percent, the highest rating available. The Board found that his symptoms do not warrant a higher rating as they are consistent with occupational and social impairment but without more severe symptoms.

The Board denied service connection for type II diabetes mellitus and posttraumatic stress disorder as there was no evidence of a current disability related to the Veteran's military service.

The Veteran's appeal regarding PTSD was dismissed due to his withdrawal of the appeal. The case for keratoconus is remanded for further evaluation.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings and a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) were denied. The Veteran was not granted any increased ratings or TDIU prior to May 18, 2016.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), finding that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of PTSD or other acquired psychiatric disorders related to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depressive disorder with alcohol use disorder, is granted. The rating for this condition has been increased to 30 percent.

The Veteran's mood disorder with PTSD is granted a disability rating of 70 percent effective from May 19, 2009.

The Board cannot make a decision on the issue of sleep apnea service connection because no VA examiner has provided an opinion regarding whether it is related to PTSD. The case is being sent back for further examination.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent for the entire period on appeal, effective December 26, 2012. The Board also granted a TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's PTSD is found to have started during service and is related to his duties as a mortuary affairs specialist. Therefore, the claim for service connection for PTSD is granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to gather financial information and properly address the overpayment issue of VA pension benefits.

The Board has granted the reopening of claims for service connection for PTSD and alcohol abuse. The issues of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include anxiety and PTSD, due to military sexual trauma; service connection for alcohol abuse secondary to PTSD; entitlement to a permanent and total disability rating for service-connected disabilities; and entitlement to TDIU are remanded.