PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2019

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, finding that there was no causal relationship between his military service and his current psychiatric conditions.

The Veteran's PTSD with unspecified depressive disorder and alcohol use disorder is rated at a 70 percent disability rating, effective from the date of the decision.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD, back disability, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to his physical limitations and mental impairments.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was denied in 1998 due to lack of supporting evidence. The Board reopened the claim in 2009 and remanded it back to the RO, which granted the claim with an effective date of July 29, 2005. The Veteran later filed a motion claiming CUE in the November 2010 rating decision for not applying 38 C.F.R. § 3.156(b) and (c).

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, but no higher. He also has been granted a TDIU due to service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 30 percent from October 1, 2010 to January 21, 2013, for generalized anxiety disorder was denied. A disability rating of 50 percent, but no higher, from January 22, 2013 to February 7, 2019, for generalized anxiety disorder is granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and a generalized anxiety disorder, is being remanded due to deficiencies in the December 2018 VA examination.

The Veteran's appeal includes requests for an increased evaluation and earlier effective dates for his service-connected PTSD, as well as a TDIU rating. The Board has ordered remand to obtain SSA records and clarify the Veteran's employment status.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are being remanded due to the need for additional development of his medical records, including those from private physicians and VA hospitals. The Board will also schedule a VA examination to determine if hypertension is related to his service-connected IHD or Agent Orange exposure.

The Board has remanded the claim of entitlement to service connection for tinnitus as secondary to a service-connected disability due to the need for a new VA examination.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of PTSD was denied. The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his lower back disability is remanded.

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms have been rated at 50 percent since August 15, 2013. The Board denied an increase in the disability rating for PTSD and also denied a TDIU due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD did not prevent him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment prior to April 24, 2017.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate opinions in the previous VA examination and a need to obtain SSA records.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD has been granted.,The Veteran's claim for compensation based on the award of treatment for mental health under section 1702 has been denied.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for a disability rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD and for TDIU due to his service-connected PTSD. The Veteran will need to undergo further examination and additional development of his employment history.

The Veteran's prostate disorder, including BPH, is not service-connected due to lack of a diagnosis prior to death and no evidence linking it to herbicide exposure.,PTSD disability is rated at 50% with occupational and social impairment.

The Veteran is granted an initial rating of 100 percent for PTSD and the claim for TDIU is dismissed as his only service-connected disability (PTSD) already meets the criteria for a 100 percent schedular disability rating.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for PTSD and an increased rating for anxiety disorder due to the submission of new VA treatment records. The cases will be readjudicated in a new Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC).

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, claimed as PTSD and diagnosed as schizophrenia, is denied because there is no current diagnosis of PTSD and the evidence does not establish a relationship between his psychiatric symptoms and active duty service.