PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current diagnoses of PTSD and Major Depressive Disorder are related to his military sexual trauma during basic training, which is considered a personal assault. Therefore, service connection for these conditions is granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a Travel Board hearing at the RO. The case will be returned to the Board after the hearing.

The Veteran's PTSD was granted service connection, but his right knee strain and hypertension claims were denied. The initial rating for PTSD was granted at 30 percent.

The Veteran's initial and subsequent ratings for PTSD with depression, cannabis dependence, alcohol abuse in remission, and cocaine dependency in remission were denied. The appeal is not about service connection at all.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional medical records and a new VA examination to assess his current PTSD condition.

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms have resulted in occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas, but not total social impairment. The criteria for a rating in excess of 70 percent are not met.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to assess the impact of his service-connected disabilities on his employment capacity.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination regarding his PTSD and an updated TDIU evaluation.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to his failure to attend a scheduled hearing. His claims for service connection and increased evaluation are still pending.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's PTSD was rated at 70 percent from June 1, 2007 to December 2, 2011. The Board granted an effective date of July 1, 2007 for the award of Total Disability Rating due to Individual Unemployability (TDIU).

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD has rendered him unable to secure and maintain gainful employment since May 13, 2011.

The Veteran's lumbar DDD/IVDS, left and right lower extremity radiculopathies, and PTSD were evaluated based on their respective symptoms. The appeals for increased ratings were denied as the evidence did not meet the criteria for higher disability ratings under the applicable rating schedule.

The Veteran's PTSD has not been shown to be productive of functional impairment that would warrant a higher rating than the current 70 percent assigned.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diagnosed unspecified depressive disorder is related to his military service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of PTSD or depressive disorder, and therefore cannot establish service connection for these conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, finding that there was no diagnosis of PTSD based on any claimed stressor or fear of hostile military activity and that the Veteran did not engage in combat with the enemy. The evidence did not establish a link between current symptoms and an in-service stressor.

The Veteran's PTSD prior to November 13, 2012 was shown to cause occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity due to symptoms such as flashbacks, sleep disturbances, depression, hypervigilance, and occasional auditory hallucinations.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 70 percent, which is the maximum schedular rating available. The Board finds that his symptoms do not warrant a higher rating as they are consistent with the current 70 percent disability rating criteria.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including a VA examination to assess the Veteran's employability due to his service-connected disabilities and issuance of a Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC).