PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient information regarding the Veteran's psychiatric conditions and their relationship to his military service. The Veteran needs to provide more recent medical records, including from a VA counselor, and undergo a new examination to determine if he has any acquired psychiatric disabilities, including PTSD, and whether these are related to his military service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's petition to reopen his claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including schizoaffective disorder and PTSD. The Board found that there is a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim due to evidence showing the disability was caused by events in service, specifically witnessing a fellow serviceman killed during a bar fight after being struck with a glass bottle.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a VA examination and opinion regarding whether the Veteran's PTSD is related to his service.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for PTSD due to pre-decisional duty-to-assist errors and the need for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for acquired psychiatric disorders, to include PTSD, depression, a sleep disorder, and a disability characterized as fainting/falling is remanded due to the submission of new evidence. The Board finds that the claims should be recharacterized as a claim for entitlement to service connection for acquired psychiatric disorders.

The Veteran's service connection claim for other specified anxiety disorder is granted. Claims for PTSD, depression, and hypertension are denied.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is granted, with the condition being directly related to her experiences during active service.

The Veteran's PTSD with polysubstance abuse has been rated at 70 percent since April 15, 2016. The claim for a higher rating is denied as the symptoms do not warrant an evaluation in excess of 70 percent.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition, including anxiety, depression, and PTSD, finding that there was no evidence linking his current conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD renders him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, leading to the grant of TDIU.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted as a result of its origination within one year after his separation from service.,An initial disability rating of 70 percent, but no higher, for PTSD is granted.

The Veteran requested to withdraw his appeal regarding a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD with major depressive disorder, and the Board has dismissed the appeal.

The Veteran's suicide was caused by his service-connected PTSD, and the Board has granted DIC benefits based on this finding.

The Veteran's PTSD has increased in severity, and he is unemployable due to violent outbursts caused by his PTSD. The Board has ordered remanded for further evaluation of the PTSD and consideration of TDIU.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 30% since February 22, 2008. The rating was increased to 70% effective April 25, 2019.

The Veteran's claim to reopen a previous denial of service connection for PTSD was granted. The Board also remanded the case for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and verifying in-service stressors.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a new VA examination to determine if the Veteran meets the DSM-5 criteria for PTSD related to his military service in Vietnam, and whether any other acquired psychiatric disorders are related to his service.

The Veteran's PTSD resulted in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity prior to October 22, 2015. The Board granted a 50 percent rating for this period.

The Veteran's PTSD results in occupational and social impairment, with reduced reliability and productivity. The Board has granted an initial disability rating of 50 percent for PTSD.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD or other acquired psychiatric disability, finding that the onset of these conditions occurred during active duty service and supported by credible lay evidence.