PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) Board decisions

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including obtaining private treatment records and service personnel files.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim for service connection for the Veteran's cause of death. The Board also finds that the Veteran's service-connected PTSD with a related major depression and episodic alcohol abuse condition more likely than not contributed to his death from a subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) resulting from a pericallosal aneurysm.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeal for an increased rating of 50 percent for PTSD.

The Veteran's PTSD with major depressive disorder has resulted in symptoms such as mood disturbances, avoidance, irritability, sleep disturbances, and difficulty in establishing social relationships. The VA determined that these symptoms warrant a 50 percent disability rating.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's appeal is REMANDED for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a new PTSD examination. The TDIU claim is also inextricably intertwined with the PTSD claim.

The Veteran's psychiatric disorder (other than PTSD and depressive disorder), including adjustment disorder with anxiety, is not service connected as it is a symptom of his service-connected PTSD and unspecified depressive disorder. Night sweats are also not service connected as they are attributed to the Veteran's service-connected PTSD and unspecified depressive disorder.

The Board finds that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for service connection for PTSD, but finds that he has an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD. The evidence is in relative equipoise regarding whether his current psychiatric disorders are related to service.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 50 percent since May 17, 2010 and increased to 70 percent effective March 24, 2016. The current rating of 70 percent is maintained.

The Board found that the reduction of compensation due to incarceration was proper and granted the Veteran's appeal, effectively dismissing the case as the issue has been resolved.

The Board denied an extraschedular rating for the Veteran's service-connected PTSD, finding that the symptomatology and occupational/social impairment caused by PTSD are fully addressed in the applicable rating criteria.

The Veteran's hypertension is found to be aggravated by his service-connected PTSD, and thus service connection for hypertension secondary to PTSD is granted.

The Veteran's PTSD disability has been rated at 30 percent since March 19, 2008. The November 2008 rating decision denied an increased rating for PTSD, and the June 2015 decision granted a 50 percent rating effective May 30, 2012. The Veteran continues to appeal for higher ratings.

The Board has granted a rating of 30 percent for the Veteran's service-connected lumbar degenerative disc disease with bulging disc, taking into account functional impairment. The appeal for PTSD and other psychiatric conditions is dismissed as moot due to the grant of service connection.

The Veteran's PTSD has resulted in deficiencies in most areas of work, school, judgment, thinking and mood since the effective date of service connection. A 70 percent rating for PTSD is granted as of March 16, 2010.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining updated VA and non-VA treatment records, as well as a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders. The Veteran is also advised that evidence from sources other than service records may corroborate an account of a stressor incident based on personal assault.

The Veteran's PTSD was found to warrant a 70 percent rating prior to July 24, 2009. The increased rating for coronary artery disease remains pending.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for COPD was reopened and granted. His bilateral hearing loss is rated as noncompensable, his PTSD with MDD is rated at 70% prior to June 15, 2010, and he is entitled to a TDIU rating prior to that date.

The Veteran's ED is found to be secondary to his service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and bipolar disorder.,Service connection for the acquired psychiatric disorder was granted effective September 23, 2008. However, an earlier effective date of September 23, 2008 is denied as the Veteran's TDIU claim was not yet established at that time.

The Board has determined that the earliest ascertainable date for which the Veteran's PTSD symptoms manifested to warrant a 70 percent disability rating is February 24, 2014. The effective date of this increased rating will be set as of that date.