PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD. The AOJ is instructed to request the Veteran’s complete personnel file and National Guard/Reserve treatment records, as well as schedule a VA mental health examination.

The Veteran was initially granted a 30 percent rating for PTSD prior to January 25, 2012.,As of January 25, 2012, the Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 70 percent since May 10, 2018. The Board finds that the symptoms and impairment due to service-connected PTSD more nearly approximate a 70 percent rating based on occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas such as work, school, judgment, thinking, and mood.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete development regarding the Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety and PTSD. The Veteran needs to be verified at her current address and provided with notice on how to substantiate her claim for service connection for PTSD.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted, with some issues having effective dates prior to specific dates. The decision also includes the grant of SMC based on loss of use of a creative organ.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating in excess of 70 percent prior to October 31, 2018 for his acquired psychiatric disability was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not show memory loss severe enough to affect his ability to remember personal information such as his own name or occupation.

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms prior to February 24, 2008 resulted in occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks. Since February 24, 2008, the Veteran has been unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his PTSD.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent prior to September 12, 2014 and a higher rating of more than 50 percent is denied. The Board granted the TDIU from July 7, 2016 due to the severity of his PTSD symptoms.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of PTSD and bipolar disorder were denied as there is no current diagnosis of PTSD, and the Board found that his bipolar disorder was not caused by an in-service adjustment disorder. The evidence did not support a secondary service connection claim.

The Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for PTSD, a higher rating for PTSD, and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional procedural steps.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development to verify in-service stressors and obtain VA examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, bilateral wrist sprains, and knee conditions.

The appeal for infertility is dismissed.,PTSD and headache disability claims are denied.,Depressive disorder claim is remanded.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, which is the maximum schedular rating available. The Board found that his symptoms do not warrant a higher rating as he does not meet the criteria for total occupational and social impairment.

The Veteran's initial disability rating for his acquired psychiatric disability, characterized as PTSD, is denied. The Board found that the evidence did not show total occupational and social impairment warranting a higher rating of 100 percent. The Veteran's claim for TDIU was also denied due to lack of objective evidence showing he could not secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, including major depressive disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder, has been granted a 70 percent rating for the entire appeal period. The symptoms have resulted in occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas such as work, school, family relations, judgment, or mood.

Posttraumatic stress disorder, right wrist strain (status-post proximal row carpectomy), and tinnitus have been granted service connection.,Lumbar degenerative disc disease, status-post L3-4 fusion has been granted service connection but denied for increased ratings.,A low back scar has been granted service connection but denied for increased ratings.

The Veteran's PTSD is granted as service connected due to a fear of hostile military or terrorist activity during his active duty service, with all reasonable doubt resolved in favor of the Veteran.

The Board denied service connection for an anxiety disorder, finding that the Veteran does not have a currently diagnosed anxiety disorder separate from his service-connected PTSD and mood disorder.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at a 70 percent disability rating, effective from the date of the decision.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 50 percent for the Veteran's PTSD, finding that his symptoms did not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher disability rating. The appeal is dismissed.