PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) Board decisions

The Veteran's PTSD with undifferentiated somatoform disorder, adjustment disorder and depressed mood has been rated at 50 percent since the initial rating period. The evidence supports a finding of occupational and social impairment due to symptoms such as flattened affect, impaired judgment, difficulty in understanding complex commands, and impairment of short- and long-term memory.

The Veteran's PTSD and coronary artery disease render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, warranting a TDIU. The Veteran is also entitled to an increased evaluation for his PTSD.

The Veteran's PTSD has been productive of occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity, warranting a rating of 50 percent.

The Veteran does not have an acquired psychiatric disorder as a result of his military service and the criteria for service connection are not met.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD, finding that he does not have a clear diagnosis of PTSD and that there is no corroborated in-service stressor to support his claim.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA and private treatment records, scheduling a new VA examination, and readjudicating the claim.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including an updated VA psychiatric examination and issuance of a statement of the case on increased ratings for abdominal adhesions and subluxation of the mandible.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 70 percent since October 2014, and the Board found that this rating adequately reflects his disability. The Veteran was also granted TDIU status due to his service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's appeal for COPD service connection was withdrawn. For PTSD, the Board denied a rating in excess of 50 percent prior to April 30, 2012 and a rating in excess of 30 percent thereafter.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim and granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression, delusional behavior, and PTSD. The evidence now supports a link between these conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's posttraumatic stress disorder was not shown to cause more than occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks, warranting a 30 percent rating. The Board found that the symptoms did not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's PTSD has been evaluated at a 30 percent rating, reflecting occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform tasks.

The Veteran's multiple service-connected conditions, including PTSD, diabetes, neuropathy, and hypertension, render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Board is remanding the case for further development to determine if the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including major depressive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder, are related to service. The examiner must provide a clear diagnosis of any preexisting conditions and their relationship to service.

The Veteran's asthma and PTSD have been granted service connection. The Board found that the Veteran's shortness of breath is related to service exposure, while his sleep apnea status remains unclear. His PTSD has been rated at 50%.

The Veteran's service-connected degenerative disc and joint disease of the thoracolumbar spine, right foot heel spurs, left foot heel spurs, and OSA are all granted. The claim for PTSD is denied as not incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Board has remanded the case for obtaining Social Security Administration (SSA) records related to PTSD. The Veteran's claim will be reconsidered after these records are received.

The Veteran's PTSD with major depressive disorder is rated at 50 percent, and the Board finds that separate ratings for PTSD and major depressive disorder would constitute pyramiding. The appeals for service connection for hypertension, COPD, and a neck disability are denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining SSA disability records and VA treatment records.