PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability, finding that the Veteran's current condition is related to his in-service complaints of back pain. The remaining issues are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining VA medical opinions regarding the etiology of his PTSD, hypertension, and sleep apnea.

The Board found that the appellant's character of discharge for his period of service from February 1965 to October 1967 was a bar to VA benefits. The claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is denied as there is no evidence showing the current conditions are related to military service.

The Veteran's PTSD was found to have caused occupational and social impairment, but not severe enough for a higher evaluation.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for PTSD is being remanded due to the failure to appear at a scheduled hearing. The case will be returned to the Board after the Veteran attends the new hearing.

The Veteran's psychiatric disability, specifically PTSD, more nearly approximates the criteria for a 70 percent rating due to symptoms such as suicidal ideation, inability to establish and maintain effective relations, near-continuous depression, and difficulty adapting to stressful circumstances.

The Veteran is found to be unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed in-service stressor was not due to his own willful misconduct. Therefore, service connection for PTSD is granted.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the initial rating for PTSD prior to April 29, 2011.

The Veteran's PTSD with depressive disorder is currently rated at 30 percent, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted. The other service-connected conditions are also rated appropriately.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disability, to include PTSD, was denied as there is no current diagnosis of such. The claim for bilateral hearing loss did not result in any decision.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, but the Board has determined that a higher rating of 70 percent is warranted based on the severity and impact of her symptoms.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, warranting a grant of TDIU benefits.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining private and VA psychiatric treatment records from 1970 to present, corroborating the Veteran's reported stressor incident involving a downed plane, and scheduling the Veteran for a VA psychiatric examination.

The Veteran's PTSD with major depression and panic disorder has been rated at 50 percent since June 20, 2013. The rating is based on the severity of symptoms such as depressed mood, anxiety, panic attacks, difficulty in establishing and maintaining effective work and social relationships.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims of service connection for PTSD, a skin disability, a left knee disability, stable angina, prostate disability, heart disability other than stable angina (includes cardiomyopathy, congestive heart failure, and hypertensive heart disease), hypertension, and right knee disability. The Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents is established based on his service in Vietnam.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and arranging for a new VA psychiatric examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's PTSD.

The Board has determined that the effective date for the grant of service connection for PTSD should be February 5, 1976, but no earlier. This decision is based on the Veteran's initial claim in 1976 and the subsequent granting of service connection based on newly received service personnel records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, headaches, and onychomycosis of both feet to further develop the evidence. The claims are currently denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his PTSD and depression.