PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2018

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and a new VA examination. The Veteran's claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is being reviewed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's PTSD claim is granted, and his bilateral hearing loss rating is restored to 10% effective November 4, 2015.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 50 percent prior to November 24, 2014 and increased to 70 percent effective November 24, 2014.,For the entire period on appeal, the criteria for TDIU have been met due to the Veteran's service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and records. The issues of service connection for erectile dysfunction and a rating in excess of 30 percent for PTSD are pending.

The Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for low back disability and initial ratings for PTSD have been denied. The claim of service connection for COPD has not been adjudicated, as it is unclear if the appeal is about this issue or another one.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD, an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, chronic fatigue syndrome, and a medically unexplained chronic multisymptom illness based on Persian Gulf service are being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board found that the Veteran's CSA was related to his service-connected RSD and granted service connection for PTSD based on a diagnosed mood disorder. The SMC claim was also granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a bilateral hip injury, bilateral knee injury, bilateral shoulder injury, groin injury, and PTSD were denied as there is no evidence of in-service injury or chronic disability that may be related to service.

The Veteran's PTSD was found to be productive of occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity prior to November 15, 2017. From November 15, 2017, the impairment was more severe, warranting a higher rating.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination to determine the etiology of his kidney disease and an evaluation of his claim for PTSD. The kidney disorder may be related to herbicide exposure or pre-existing conditions.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, but the Board finds that he does not meet the criteria for a higher rating. The Veteran also did not meet the schedular requirements for TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities, and therefore, an extraschedular referral was not warranted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral restless arms, to include as due to an undiagnosed illness, has been denied. The Board finds that the Veteran does not currently have a disorder associated with bilateral restless arms and has not had such a disability at any point since filing her claim for service connection.

The Board granted a 70 percent rating for PTSD effective December 31, 2005. The Veteran's TDIU claim was denied as the service-connected disability did not preclude him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's PTSD has resulted in occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas, warranting a 70 percent disability rating from November 30, 2006 to June 5, 2010. The Veteran also meets the schedular criteria for a TDIU during this period.

The Veteran's PTSD has resulted in reduced reliability and productivity, but not to the extent that would warrant a higher rating. The evidence does not show he is unemployable due to his service-connected disability.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's PTSD is related to his military service and MST. The Veteran will be asked to provide any additional evidence or treatment records.

The Veteran's PTSD has been found to cause total occupational and social impairment for the entire period on appeal, warranting a 100 percent rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's PTSD and sleep apnea were not incurred in or aggravated by service, as there is no credible evidence linking these conditions to his military service. The Veteran's testimony regarding racial discrimination during service was found to be less credible due to inconsistencies with other evidence in the claims file. His sleep apnea was also determined to have begun after service and is not related to any service-connected condition.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, consistent with his education and occupational experience.

The Board has granted service connection for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), but denied service connection for weight loss, attributing the weight loss to a psychiatric disorder.