PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) Board decisions

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions regarding her hip, hand, and upper extremity disabilities. The low back disability claim is also being remanded as the VA examination did not include necessary joint testing.

The Board has remanded the case due to new evidence received after the March 2018 Supplemental Statement of the Case. The Veteran is advised to submit his treatment records from Ms. Bolen or complete a release for VA to request them.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, and the Board finds that an increased rating to a higher level is not warranted based on the evidence of record.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's service at Camp LeJeune and Vieques, requiring further efforts to obtain relevant documents.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD and an acquired psychiatric disorder, including schizophrenia, depression, anxiety, and PTSD. The VA examiner found no evidence linking the current diagnoses to military service.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to March 12, 2012 for the award of service connection for PTSD is denied. The Board also remanded the case for a rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated at the lowest possible non-compensable level.,Tinnitus has been assigned a maximum schedular rating of 10 percent, which cannot be increased further under current criteria.,Sleep apnea is currently rated at the highest available schedular rating (50%), and no higher rating is warranted based on the evidence provided.,The Veteran's heart disorder is currently rated at 30%, with no higher rating being granted due to lack of specific findings supporting a higher level of disability.,PTSD has been rated as 30% prior to October 31, 2013, and 50% thereafter. No higher ratings are warranted based on the evidence provided.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 70 percent since August 29, 2016. The Board found that the symptoms have most nearly approximated a 70 percent disability rating for the entire period on appeal.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and development of his service stressor allegations.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for PTSD is remanded due to potential CUE in a previous rating decision. The Board also notes that the Veteran has provided evidence suggesting he experienced symptoms related to PTSD prior to March 2011.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 30 percent, and the Board has remanded both his claim for an increased rating and his TDIU claim. The VA needs to obtain additional medical records and assist the appellant in completing necessary forms.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension secondary to PTSD, an increased rating for PTSD, and a TDIU. The evidence did not support the Veteran's contention that his hypertension was caused or aggravated by his PTSD.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is remanded due to new and material evidence. The TDIU and hemorrhoids claims are also remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is granted. The claim to reopen a previous denial of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, specifically obsessive compulsive disorder, is denied.

The Board has found that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation. The issue of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, anxiety and major depressive disorder is remanded due to lack of adequate etiology opinion.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is granted. The Board found that the Veteran met the criteria for a diagnosis of PTSD based on his reported stressor and established by VA psychologists, and thus service connection is granted. For the heart disorder, the case is remanded as further evidence is needed to determine if there was herbicide agent exposure during service.

The Board has expanded the scope of the claim to include any mental health diagnosis raised by the record and has requested additional VA treatment records, service personnel records, and confirmation of the Veteran's Vietnam service dates. The case is being remanded for further development.

The Board has determined that there are outstanding VA treatment records and the claims for service connection for anxiety, PTSD, and depression must be remanded to obtain these records.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and PTSD, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between his claimed conditions and his military service.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient clinical opinions regarding the relationship between hypertension and PTSD, as well as a need for additional VA treatment records. The Veteran's TDIU claim is also being remanded.