PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a sleep disorder, which is secondary to his service-connected PTSD, has been withdrawn before the Board could make a decision.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 70 percent since the appeal was filed, with symptoms including depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation. The evidence supports a finding of total occupational and social impairment.

The Veteran's appeal is being REMANDED for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and Social Security Administration (SSA) records. The case will be reviewed to determine if entitlement to an increased rating for PTSD, a temporary total evaluation, or TDIU may be granted.

The Veteran's PTSD is characterized by occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity, but not by deficiencies in most areas or total social and occupational impairment.

The Veteran's PTSD has been productive of occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas, such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood. The Veteran is unable to maintain any form of substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and occupational background due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, which includes PTSD and chronic depressive disorder. The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is etiologically related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and to schedule him for VA examinations to determine the etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diagnosed PTSD and depressive disorder are related to his military service, including exposure to in-service mortar attacks and weapons fire. The claim for service connection is granted.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current acquired psychiatric disability, to include PTSD and anxiety, is related to his service in Iraq. The evidence is in equipoise as to whether this disability was incurred during active service.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings on tinnitus, hearing loss, and coronary artery disease was withdrawn. The Board granted a 70 percent rating for PTSD with dysthymic disorder effective from May 6, 2011, the date of his claim. The TDIU claim was also granted.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of PTSD was denied as she had actual knowledge of the August 2007 rating decision and provided a valid address in her October 2010 request to reopen.

The Veteran's appeal for bilateral flatfoot and right ankle arthritis has been withdrawn. The Board finds that the Veteran is unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, which render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and a TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and clarification of her psychiatric diagnoses.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for PTSD, prior to January 26, 2005, is dismissed as untimely filed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's PTSD and skin condition are related to his active duty service, thus granting service connection for both conditions.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 70 percent since November 15, 2016. Prior to this date, the rating was increased from 50 percent.

The Veteran's appeals for increased evaluations of his service-connected disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and consideration of new evidence.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an effective date earlier than March 20, 2012 for PTSD and a higher evaluation for her service-connected left trochanteric bursitis, left piriformis syndrome, and left sacroiliitis. The claim for an earlier effective date for PTSD is denied as there were no unadjudicated or informal claims prior to the March 20, 2012 application to reopen. The increased evaluation claim is remanded due to the passage of time since the last VA examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's PTSD, unspecified depressive disorder, and mild neurocognitive disorder are related to his military service. The VA examiner found no specific diagnosis for his stomach disorder but concluded it was less likely than not incurred in or caused by his military service. For his migraine headaches, twitching in the neck, and stomach disorder, the Board finds that a new examination is necessary as the current opinion did not address whether these conditions were aggravated by his service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70% from February 20, 2009 to January 19, 2011 and 100% thereafter. DEA benefits are granted effective January 19, 2011.