PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2018

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD and major depressive disorder, anxiety, and somatoform disorder, as secondary to his service-connected seizure disorder is being remanded due to the need for additional development of the medical records.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for additional evidence and consideration of all psychiatric disorders reasonably raised by the record.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and diabetes, did not prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's appeal includes a request for an increased rating for PTSD with major depression, and also raises the issue of TDIU. The Board has determined that additional development is needed to obtain recent VA clinical records and associated forms related to substantiating his claim for TDIU.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran’s death due to insufficient evidence linking his colon cancer or coronary artery disease to his military service. The claim for burial benefits was not properly addressed in the most recent Supplemental Statement of the Case.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for a psychiatric disability, to include PTSD. The case is remanded due to the need for additional development and examination.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations provided are inadequate and does not provide sufficient information to make a decision on the claim. The Veteran's psychiatric condition is remanded for further examination.

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms have worsened since his last VA examination, and the Board has ordered a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his condition.

The Veteran's initial increased rating for left shoulder strain and PTSD is denied. The case is remanded to obtain additional development, including a VA examination to assess the severity of his PTSD symptoms and whether they are related to service-connected conditions or substance abuse.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for post-traumatic headache due to traumatic brain injury is denied. The Board has also remanded the issue of service connection for PTSD and an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, anxiety and depression is granted. The claims for increased rating for low back disability and TDIU are remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD has rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board finds that he meets the criteria for TDIU on an extraschedular basis.

The Veteran's PTSD with major depressive disorder is currently rated at 50 percent, and the Board has decided to remand both her claim for a higher rating and her TDIU claim.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for a psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD. The Veteran's current diagnoses of Major Depressive Disorder and PTSD are linked to his in-service stressors. However, the claim for service connection for hypertension is remanded as it may be related to his diagnosed psychiatric conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current psychiatric disability, including PTSD, and therefore service connection for a psychiatric disorder is denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and consideration of new evidence.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hammertoes of the right foot and PTSD. The evidence did not support his assertions that he incurred these conditions during active service.,The Board also denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date than March 23, 2015, for a grant of service connection for radiculopathy of the left upper extremity.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings and service connection were partially denied. The Board found that the Veteran’s psychiatric disabilities are at worst manifest by symptoms most comparable to occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas, resulting in a 70% rating. The issues of residuals of frostbite and GERD service connection, as well as the rating for hypertrophic gastritis post-operative removal of sigmoid colon polyps and colon polyps, were remanded due to inadequate medical opinions.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death. The Board does not have jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this case.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for PTSD service connection was denied as her initial claim was received on October 22, 2009. The Veteran's claim for a higher initial rating for PTSD from October 22, 2009 to May 24, 2018 was also denied due to the lack of evidence showing total occupational and social impairment.