PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) Board decisions

The Veteran's claimed headaches and memory loss are not shown to have been incurred in service, manifested within one year of service, or causally related to any disease, injury, or incident during service.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to obtain the Veteran's complete service treatment records, specifically those from his Reserve unit. The VA also needs to obtain private mental health treatment records and provide a VA psychiatric examination to address the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and TDIU.

The Board has determined that additional procedural and substantive development is necessary prior to the adjudication of the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD. The Veteran's claim will be remanded for further action.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed in this case, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for a PTSD examination. The appeal will be remanded to the Agency of Original Jurisdiction (AOJ).

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for an initial rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD.

The Veteran's appeal was granted for a rating of 30 percent for PTSD with a mood disorder, effective April 11, 2014. The Board found that the Veteran timely filed an appeal regarding his initial 10 percent rating for PTSD and established service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to GERD and hiatal hernia.

The Veteran's PTSD with depression is currently rated at 50 percent, and the Board has determined that a higher rating of 70 percent should be granted since July 24, 2009.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a hearing before a Veterans Law Judge at his local RO, as he is currently incarcerated. The case will be readjudicated after any necessary accommodations are made.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's PTSD is related to his in-service experiences and has granted service connection for these acquired psychiatric disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to changes in his PTSD symptoms since the last examination and the need for updated VA treatment records.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to secure a new VA examination and obtain additional medical records. The issue of entitlement to an increased evaluation for PTSD will be reconsidered after the additional evidence is obtained.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hyperlipidemia was denied as the condition is not a disability for VA compensation purposes. The claims for sleep apnea and an acquired psychiatric disorder were also addressed but are being remanded.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating of 70 percent for service-connected MDD/PTSD and a TDIU was granted, effective from April 17, 2012, and September 13, 2012 respectively. The Appellant is eligible for attorney fees based on these decisions.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the award of additional compensation for his dependent wife and daughter was denied as proof of dependency was not provided within one year of the happening of the change in dependency or within one year of any qualifying rating decision.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for heart disorders, headaches, cervical spine disorders, lumbar spine disorders, acquired psychiatric/mental disorders (including PTSD, depression, anxiety), and sleep disorders. The Board found no evidence to support a direct link between these conditions and service.

The Veteran's PTSD has not resulted in total occupational and social impairment, but his service-connected PTSD precludes him from maintaining substantially gainful employment. The claim for an increased rating for PTSD is denied, while the TDIU claim is granted.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, effective from October 23, 2015. The rating agency found that the Veteran experiences occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity due to symptoms such as flattened affect, circumstantial speech, panic attacks more than once a week, difficulty understanding complex commands, impaired short- and long-term memory, impaired judgment, impaired abstract thinking, disturbances of motivation and mood, and difficulty establishing effective work and social relationships.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, the maximum schedular rating for this condition.,The Veteran filed a valid Notice of Disagreement (NOD) regarding his entitlement to SMC at the housebound rate.

The Board finds that the Veteran's diagnosed PTSD is related to service and grants entitlement to service connection for PTSD.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 50 percent since December 28, 2015. The appeal for other conditions related to service connection and exposure has been granted.