PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2018

The Veteran's claim for a higher initial disability rating for PTSD was initially denied, but later increased to 100 percent effective April 6, 2015. The earlier effective date claim is still pending and will determine whether the TDIU claim should be granted prior to that date.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent for the period prior to July 24, 2017, due to occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas such as work, school, family relations, judgment, or mood. The higher rating reflects significant impairment in his ability to maintain stable relationships and engage in meaningful employment.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 100% since July 27, 2010, based on the severity of his symptoms and inability to function socially or vocationally.

The Veteran's PTSD prior to October 2, 2009 resulted in occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas such as work, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood. However, the symptoms did not meet the criteria for a 100% rating due to total occupational and social impairment.

The Veteran's chronic fatigue syndrome is not due to an undiagnosed illness or other qualifying chronic disability, and her eye condition (bilateral cataracts) is not related to service connection.,Her sinusitis and sleep apnea are less likely than not caused by or resulting from military service.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment since April 19, 2013. The Board finds that he meets the criteria for a TDIU due to his combined disability rating of 90 percent.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation since July 2010.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss resulted in a combined rating of 90 percent as of June 10, 2011. This prevented him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.,As of June 10, 2011, the Veteran was found to meet the schedular criteria for TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's ED is granted as secondary to his service-connected PTSD, with all reasonable doubt resolved in favor of the Veteran.

The Board denied the claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, finding that there was no evidence supporting a link between the claimed in-service stressor and current symptoms.

The Veteran's posttraumatic stress disorder is rated at 50% since July 3, 2006. For the period from July 3, 2006 through January 17, 2007, he was granted a 20% rating for his degenerative disc disease at L4-5. The Veteran's claim for higher ratings for his degenerative disc disease and unemployability due to service-connected disabilities is denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to clarify his employment history and obtain any relevant VA vocational rehabilitation records.

The Veteran's PTSD with alcohol abuse in remission prior to June 8, 2017, and in excess of 70 percent thereafter is granted.

The Veteran has been diagnosed with PTSD and the Board finds that this condition is linked to an in-service stressor, thus granting service connection for PTSD.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims of service connection for a lumbar spine disability, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities, psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and depression), and dementia are not supported by the evidence. The preponderance of the evidence is against these claims.

The Board found that the appellant's acquired psychiatric disorder and arteriosclerotic heart disease are not attributable to service, including ACDUTRA or INACDUTRA. The claims for service connection were denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and substance abuse/pain medication addiction, as well as his claim for a higher rating for right knee disability, were denied. The Board also found that the Veteran was not unemployable due to his disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD and depressive disorder, has been granted. As a result, the appeal is dismissed.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder, characterized as PTSD and anxiety, has been rated at 70 percent since the beginning of the appeal period.,For migraine headaches, the Veteran is now rated at 50 percent after November 28, 2014.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for a neck disability, chronic fatigue, joint pain, and gastrointestinal symptoms. The Veteran is not shown to have or have had visceral leishmaniasis. Joint pain and chronic fatigue are considered as manifestations of his service-connected hepatitis C.