PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2018

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete service personnel records and the need for a VA examination to determine if any diagnosed psychiatric disability, including PTSD, is related to or caused by service.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to verify the Veteran's claimed traumatic events in service and to provide an adequate examination for a diagnosis of PTSD. The case will be remanded for these purposes.

The Veteran's PTSD with major depressive disorder is rated at 70 percent since April 6, 2010, due to occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.

The Veteran's PTSD has resulted in total occupational and social impairment, warranting a 100 percent disability rating.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than November 28, 2006 for the award of a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) is granted. The criteria for TDIU were met as of November 1, 2005.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected PTSD and ADHD, inattentive type is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination.

The Veteran's PTSD was rated at 100% effective June 15, 2001. The appellant is seeking an earlier effective date for the 100% rating.

The Veteran's PTSD was not found to warrant a rating in excess of 10 percent prior to November 6, 2015 and is denied for a rating in excess of 30 percent thereafter.

The Board has reopened the previously denied claim of service connection for PTSD and granted service connection based on a finding that the Veteran likely experienced military sexual trauma during service, linking her current PTSD to this event.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 30 percent, but the Board finds that his symptoms warrant a higher rating of 50 percent due to occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

The Veteran's PTSD was productive of occupational and social impairment due to mild or transient symptoms with decrease work efficiency during periods of significant stress. The current level of disability did not warrant a higher rating.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 10 percent disabling. The Board finds that the severity of her PTSD has potentially worsened since it was last evaluated six years ago and therefore requires another examination to assess her claim.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal with respect to all issues pending before the Board, including those related to traumatic brain injury, PTSD, low back strain, patellofemoral pain syndrome of the right knee, scars of the scalp and face, tinnitus, left ear hearing loss, post-traumatic headaches, and residuals of a left elbow contusion.

The Board found no evidence of residuals of cold injury and denied service connection for a psychiatric disorder to include PTSD due to lack of credible medical evidence linking current symptoms to service.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for PTSD should be remanded due to conflicting diagnoses and a need for further evidence.

The Veteran's PTSD with anxiety and sleep disturbance is rated at 70 percent, the maximum available. The GERD and IBS are rated at 30 percent. The right foot skin disability has been restored to a 10 percent rating, while the left foot skin disability remains at a 10 percent rating. The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, warranting a TDIU.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD prior to November 13, 2015.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD and remanded the case for further development, including obtaining records from SSA and a VA psychiatric examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of in-service onset or causation for any of the claimed conditions.