PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2019

The Board has determined that the Veteran's PTSD is related to his combat experiences in Vietnam and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's PTSD disability picture prior to August 5, 2015 more nearly approximated total social and occupational impairment, warranting a 100 percent disability rating.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional medical examination and evaluation of the Veteran's psychiatric conditions, including PTSD.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are remanded due to inadequate examinations, need for updated VA treatment records, and need for additional examination.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was reopened and granted effective September 9, 2015. The previous denial of the claim is considered final.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hypertension, as well as the claim for TDIU. The Veteran's representative provided additional medical evidence in support of his hypertension claim, which was not considered by the RO. A new VA opinion is needed to address whether the Veteran's hypertension is caused or aggravated by his service-connected diabetes and/or CAD.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, anxiety, and depression, is granted service connection. The issue of service connection for erectile dysfunction is remanded.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 70 percent, and the Board denied an increased evaluation in excess of this rating. The Veteran was granted TDIU based on her service-connected PTSD.

The Board has decided that further efforts are needed to ensure VA has satisfied its duty to assist the Appellant in obtaining all of the Veteran's records from Dr. A.P.K., who treated the Veteran for PTSD.

The Board has dismissed the appeals because the appellant died before a decision could be made.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent since February 24, 2014. The RO has granted a 100 percent rating for PTSD effective May 16, 2017. As the Veteran already has a 100 percent disability rating for his PTSD, he cannot be granted TDIU based solely on this condition.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development and consideration of his claims. The issues include ratings for various conditions, effective dates for service connection awards, and the reduction of a rating.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is granted at a 100 percent disability rating from January 1, 2009. Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) for statutory housebound status is also granted during the entire appeal period.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim to reopen his service connection for PTSD because new evidence did not provide sufficient information to verify the alleged stressors and there was no supporting documentation in his service records.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU prior to December 11, 2007 was denied as he did not meet the schedular criteria for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to his service-connected PTSD.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, variably diagnosed as Alcohol Dependence disorder, Obsessive Compulsive disorder, Depressive disorder and PTSD, finding that the Veteran's symptoms are related to his military service.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for PTSD and granted it, finding that there is a reasonable possibility of substantiating her claim due to new evidence showing a possible in-service event and nexus between her PTSD and military service.

This decision denies an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for diabetes mellitus with neuropathy and retinopathy, as well as an earlier effective date for SMC at the housebound rate. The appeal is also remanded for further development on issues including initial ratings for PTSD and gastroparesis/GERD.

The Board has remanded both the increased rating claim for PTSD and the TDIU claim due to incomplete development. The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is currently rated at 30 percent, but he contends that his disability warrants a higher rating.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for chronic cervical sprain, cervicogenic headaches, lumbar sprain with intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS), right lower leg sciatic radulopathy, and PTSD were denied earlier than the dates they were received.,An effective date earlier than August 25, 2008, was not granted for any of these conditions.