PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) Board decisions

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the relationship between the Veteran's service-connected diabetes and erectile dysfunction, as well as any potential connection with his PTSD. The Veteran will need a new VA examination to address these issues.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is denied as he has been in full-time or nearly full-time employment throughout the appeal period, despite his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinion regarding the Veteran's claimed acquired psychiatric disorder, specifically PTSD. The examiner is requested to provide an opinion on whether it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran's current psychiatric symptoms are related to his service in Germany in 1981.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, prostate cancer, diabetes mellitus, and peripheral neuropathy, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment prior to April 19, 2017. The TDIU is granted.

The Board has remanded the claims for a VA examination to determine the etiology of the Veteran's mental health disabilities and whether they are related to service or any service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for renal cancer with kidney removal and PTSD, as well as the TDIU prior to March 1, 2013, were denied. The Veteran's renal/kidney cancer was found not to be related to service or exposure to herbicides, while his PTSD did not cause total occupational and social impairment.

The Board has granted an initial 70 percent disability rating for PTSD effective June 18, 2009, prior to December 16, 2011. The decision finds that the Veteran's symptoms met the criteria for a 70 percent rating due to occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.

The Veteran's PTSD was initially evaluated as 30 percent disabling and later increased to 70 percent prior to August 29, 2016. The Veteran now receives a 100 percent disability rating for PTSD starting from February 9, 2015.,Beginning January 31, 2014, the Veteran was granted TDIU status until February 8, 2015. SMC has not been awarded.

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms did not meet the criteria for a higher rating, and his TDIU claim was denied as he could still perform substantially gainful employment.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, and denied entitlement to individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities. The Veteran's schizoaffective disorder was found to be a congenital or developmental defect that preexisted service.

The Board has remanded the service connection issues for additional development due to incomplete records and need for a VA examination.

The Veteran's claim to reopen service connection for dermatitis is granted. The appeal is granted to that extent only, as the initial rating for PTSD is granted at 70 percent and an effective date prior to June 8, 2016 is denied. An earlier effective date of June 8, 2015 for coronary artery disease bypass scar is granted, but no effective date prior to June 8, 2016 for service connection for allergic rhinitis or PTSD is granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for PTSD due to a personal assault during active duty, finding that there was insufficient evidence to verify the incident and no behavioral changes or medical records indicating PTSD related to the alleged assault. The Veteran has been diagnosed with other specified trauma stressor related disorder but the VA examiner concluded it is not related to an in-service personal assault.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder to include PTSD has not resulted in total occupational and social impairment, so the claim for an increased evaluation is denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to the need to determine if he served within 12 nautical miles of Vietnam, which would allow him to receive the presumption of exposure to herbicide agents. If so, an examination will be scheduled to determine the nature and etiology of any hypertension condition.

The Board has decided to remand the cases of increased rating for PTSD and TDIU due to new evidence received since the last statement of the case.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression and PTSD, is related to his service-connected disabilities. The claim for obstructive sleep apnea secondary to an acquired psychiatric disorder is remanded.

The Veteran's claim for PTSD was denied as there is no evidence of a current diagnosis.,Claims for an acquired psychiatric disability other than PTSD, glaucoma, and hypertensive retinopathy were also denied due to lack of competent evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation (SMC) based on loss of use of both lower extremities, finding that his paraplegia is not related to his service-connected alcohol use disorder and he does not have a service-connected knee disability or paraplegia. The preponderance of evidence supports denying SMC.

The Board has denied service connection for PTSD and remanded the issue of service connection for a psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, to include Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), to include as secondary to the service-connected right knee disability.