PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevent him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment for which his education and occupational experience would otherwise qualify him.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, the highest available rating under the criteria for mental disorders.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at the highest available rating of 70 percent, effective April 21, 2011. The Veteran was granted a TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection were denied as there is no evidence of current disabilities or a link to service.

The Board has determined that the appellant's character of discharge is now general under honorable conditions, which does not bar him from receiving VA benefits.

The Veteran's appeals were denied for various issues, including cervical spine DJD, depression, PTSD, and bilateral hip disability. The claims for depression and PTSD were not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence, while the claim for service connection for a bilateral hip disability was denied as no causal relationship could be established.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and updated medical records. The issue of an increased evaluation for PTSD with depressive features will be reconsidered after these additional developments.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, coronary artery disease, and varicose veins of the left leg, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn and the case is dismissed due to the Veteran's request for withdrawal.

The Veteran's PTSD claim has been withdrawn.,Prior to January 15, 2015, the low back disability warranted a rating of 10 percent. From January 15, 2015 to December 16, 2015, it warranted a rating of 20 percent. Since then, it has not met the criteria for a higher rating.,Since January 15, 2015, the right lower extremity lumbar radiculopathy has been rated at 20 percent.,Bilateral hearing loss does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.,Hypertension has not met the criteria for a higher rating.,Residual scars from basal cell epithelioma have warranted a 30 percent rating since March 6, 2013.,The Veteran is unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining outstanding records and readjudicating the claims based on a review of all evidence.

The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected conditions did not cause or contribute to his death, and concluded that his PTSD did not substantially or materially contribute to his death. The Board also noted that there was no evidence of suicide attempts related to PTSD.

The Board has determined that remand is necessary due to the need to verify the Veteran's claimed stressors for his PTSD claim and to obtain a VA examination to determine if he currently has a duodenal ulcer or sleep disturbances.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for PTSD is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of her service-connected PTSD.

The VA determined that the Veteran does not have a diagnosed condition of PTSD, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and a VA examination to assess the impact of his service-connected disabilities on his employability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diagnosed other specified trauma-and-stressor-related disorder is etiologically related to a motor vehicle accident in service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hearing loss is denied as there is no current evidence of a hearing disability meeting VA criteria.,The effective dates for the grants of service connection for PTSD, GERD, and tinnitus are both April 22, 2013, which is one year prior to the date the claim was received.,The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet or approximate the criteria for a disability rating higher than 70 percent for PTSD or a disability rating greater than 10 percent for GERD. The Veteran does not have total occupational and social impairment due to his PTSD, nor has he demonstrated symptom combinations productive of considerable or severe impairment of health due to his GERD.,The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are rated 90 percent disabling and prevent him from obtaining and retaining gainful employment for which he would otherwise be qualified. Therefore, the criteria for a TDIU have been met.

The Veteran's appeal for higher ratings for PTSD and TDIU was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support an extraschedular rating prior to January 28, 2010.

The Veteran's PTSD and major depression have resulted in significant occupational and social impairment, warranting a 70 percent rating throughout the appeal period.