PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2019

The Board denied a TDIU prior to January 1, 2012 due to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities not precluding him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's PTSD did not result in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity during the appeal period, so a higher rating is denied.

The Veteran's claim for a higher initial rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD is remanded due to the failure to obtain relevant treatment records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's appeal is not about service connection at all, but rather about rating decisions and remands for additional examinations or evidence. The appeals are related to his headaches, PTSD, right wrist overuse syndrome, left wrist overuse syndrome, and central serous retinopathy with diplopia.

The Veteran's service-connected other specified trauma and stressor related disorder (previously claimed as posttraumatic stress disorder) and tinnitus do not prevent him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was granted due to the submission of new and relevant evidence, which established a diagnosis of PTSD related to in-service stressors. The Board found that there is expert evidence linking the Veteran’s PTSD to his military experiences.

The Board denied service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as there was no credible supporting evidence of the occurrence of an in-service stressor.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of PTSD, and therefore service connection for PTSD is denied. The case is remanded for further examination and opinion regarding the left shoulder disability and acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's PTSD with MDD has been granted an initial disability rating of 50 percent from June 5, 2008.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment, and therefore his claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability is denied.

The Board denied a higher initial rating for PTSD, finding that the Veteran's symptoms are not severe enough to warrant a higher rating. The Veteran was assigned a 30 percent disability rating.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and a VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for left carpal tunnel syndrome, degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine with intervertebral disc syndrome, PTSD, and TDIU are being remanded due to incomplete VA opinions and need for further examination.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD with depressive disorder is currently rated at 30 percent, and the Board has ordered a remand to determine if he should be evaluated for a higher rating due to worsening symptoms.

The Veteran's PTSD is granted at a 70% rating from July 22, 2014. The VA has determined that the Veteran's CAD and DM do not warrant ratings higher than 60% and 20%, respectively, but have granted earlier effective dates for these ratings.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient examination and treatment records, requiring an additional VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any currently present psychiatric disability.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 40 percent for his lumbar spine disability is denied. The Board has also remanded the issues of service connection for PTSD, an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, and an abdominal disability to allow for further development.

The Board denied service connection for residuals of a traumatic brain injury (TBI) and denied an increased rating for PTSD. The claim for earlier effective date for diabetes mellitus, type II is remanded.,Service connection for PTSD was not granted due to lack of current disability and no in-service injury or disease.

The reduction in the disability rating for PTSD from 10 percent to 0 percent was not proper and is void ab initio.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, an increased rating for anxiety disorder, and TDIU due to conflicting evidence regarding the diagnosis of PTSD. The Veteran will need a new examination to clarify whether he has a valid diagnosis of PTSD related to his in-service stressors.