PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) Board decisions

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for PTSD due to new evidence submitted. However, further development is needed before the merits of the claim can be addressed.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted due to his service-connected disabilities, specifically PTSD and left knee disability. The right knee disability, spinal stenosis, and migraine headaches are not addressed in this decision.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at a 70 percent disability rating, and he is granted total unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for his cervical spine, low back, and psychiatric disorders were denied. The VA found that the current ratings adequately reflect the severity of these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and initial ratings are being remanded due to the need to obtain Social Security Administration (SSA) records.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, specifically PTSD and unspecified adjustment disorder with anxious mood, is granted as service connected. The bladder disability claim has been remanded for further evaluation.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD, loss of vision, and other conditions have been dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for PTSD and bilateral hearing loss are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations to assess current disability levels.

The Board has remanded several issues for further development including VA examinations to determine current severity of service-connected disabilities and etiology of a deviated nasal septum disability. The Veteran's claims for PTSD, acquired psychiatric disorder, left knee instability, right index finger amputation of distal phalanx, and TDIU are also remanded.

The Veteran's lower back disability, diagnosed as sacroiliitis and degenerative disc disease, is related to service. The Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's PTSD with major depressive disorder is rated at 70 percent for the entire appeal period, and he is granted entitlement to a TDIU.

The Veteran's left ankle disability, tinnitus, asthma, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) have been granted service connection. The Veteran's PTSD has also been granted a 70 percent rating.,Service connection for hearing loss was dismissed.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent for the period from September 14, 2006 to January 10, 2012.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, and for a right ankle disability due to insufficient evidence regarding his claimed stressors and incomplete VA examinations.

The Board has remanded the claims for SMC based on need for regular aid and attendance (A&A) and TDIU prior to September 11, 2012 due to insufficient evidence of record. A VA examination is needed to determine the Veteran's ability to care for his basic needs without assistance and a retrospective medical opinion is required to assess his functional impact on his ability to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional information regarding his alleged involvement in covert operations during his military service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a suggestion of possible worsening in PTSD symptoms, and for obtaining any outstanding VA treatment records.

The Veteran's PTSD, right shoulder disability, and cervical spine disability are rated appropriately. The case is being returned for further evaluation on the issues of service connection for hip disabilities, sacroiliac dysfunction, sleep disorder, and headaches.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD and other disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to May 8, 2014.

The Board has granted reconsideration of the claim for service connection for PTSD, finding that a relevant official service record was not previously considered. The Veteran's reported history of assisting in rescuing passengers involved in a motor vehicle accident during his service in Korea is sufficient to support an examination and opinion regarding the diagnosis of PTSD.