PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2019

The Veteran's PTSD with depression is rated at 50 percent, and the Board found that his symptoms did not warrant a higher rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for a seizure disorder secondary to PTSD, an increased rating for PTSD, and TDIU are not ready for decision due to incomplete evidence. The case is being remanded to obtain additional medical opinions and records.

The Veteran's PTSD claim has been remanded due to new evidence received since the last decision. The case will be readjudicated in a Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC).

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 30 percent, and the Board finds that an increased rating in excess of this level is not warranted due to his symptoms being within the scope of a 30 percent rating.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and his claim for TDIU is denied.

The Veteran's appeals regarding cataracts, upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, and service connection for a psychiatric disorder were dismissed. The appeal for service connection for the variously diagnosed psychiatric disorder (including PTSD) was granted. The appeal for a rating in excess of 20 percent for diabetes mellitus is remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation, and his claim for TDIU is denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to engage and retain substantially gainful employment, thus the Board finds that he is entitled to TDIU.

The Veteran's PTSD claim is remanded due to incomplete records and the need for a new VA examination.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent since June 25, 2014. The appeal for a higher rating or an earlier effective date for TDIU was denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding his reported in-service stressor and exposure to herbicide agents. The claims will be further evaluated after additional verification is conducted.

The Veteran is prevented from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, diabetes mellitus with erectile dysfunction, peripheral neuropathy of both upper and lower extremities, and tinnitus. The Board finds that the Veteran's conditions prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral plantar fasciitis/pes planus and PTSD were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of service connection for either condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for a right hip disorder and PTSD due to incomplete VA treatment records. The AOJ is required to obtain all relevant treatment records from specified VA facilities and seek addendum opinions regarding the relationship between the claimed conditions and service.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent since January 3, 2013. The rating reflects occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas such as work, school, family relationships, judgment, thinking, or mood.

The Veteran's claim for an evaluation in excess of 50 percent for PTSD is granted, and his TDIU claim is also granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for eczema was denied. The claims for an increased evaluation and TDIU were both remanded.

The Veteran's PTSD with MDD and alcohol use disorder is rated at 70 percent, but the Board denied a higher rating. The Veteran was granted TDIU effective January 2, 2013.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected PTSD is being remanded due to the need for an examination to assess the current severity of his condition.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining inpatient treatment records from Brooke Army Medical Center and Darnall Army Medical Center, notifying the Veteran that his records from California Men’s Colony do not exist, and providing an addendum opinion addressing the Veteran's statements of mental instability during service.