PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) Board decisions

The Board found that the Veteran's back disorder was not incurred in or aggravated by service and arthritis may not be presumed to have been so incurred.,There is no competent evidence relating any current psychiatric diagnosis to an incident of service or a service-connected disability. The Board concluded that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for service connection for PTSD, Major Depression, or Generalized Anxiety Disorder.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining service treatment records and scheduling a VA examiner to provide an updated opinion. The Veteran's claim of service connection for PTSD is pending.

The Board has remanded the case for further development to determine if the Veteran's report of service with a classified mission in Korea can be corroborated and to make specific determinations regarding stressor existence.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development and examination to determine the severity of his PTSD, as well as whether he is unemployable due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional information regarding his in-service stressors and to schedule a VA examination for psychiatric disability. The TDIU issue will be addressed after the service connection issue is resolved.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and providing a VA opinion on the etiology of his psychiatric disabilities.

The Veteran's PTSD has been manifested by multiple inpatient admissions, ongoing suicidal ideation with plan, marked limitations in social and occupational functioning, and GAF scores ranging primarily from 35 to 45. The Board grants a 100 percent rating for PTSD.

The Veteran's skull fracture is rated at 30 percent, and his TBI-related psychiatric disability remains at 70 percent. A separate 10 percent rating has been granted for cognitive residuals of the TBI that are distinct from PTSD.

The Board has restored service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, and granted entitlement to a TDIU based on the Veteran's PTSD. The Veteran is found unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's PTSD is found to be service-connected as it meets the criteria for a current diagnosis and was incurred during active military service based on combat stressors.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 100 percent rating for PTSD was denied. The Board found that the earliest indication of total occupational and social impairment was not until November 2008, when the total schedular rating was assigned.,The Veteran's claim for TDIU prior to November 6, 2008 was also denied. The Board determined that there is no evidence showing the Veteran was unemployable as due to his sole service-connected disability (PTSD) before this date.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and thus the case is dismissed.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for service connection and increased ratings, as well as his eligibility for special monthly compensation (SMC) based on need for regular aid and attendance or at the housebound rate.

The Board is unable to make a final determination on whether new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD. The appeal will be remanded to obtain additional VA medical records and Social Security Administration (SSA) disability benefits records.

The Board granted an effective date of November 17, 2008 for the award of a TDIU rating. The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, specifically PTSD and left hip disability, precluded him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and VA treatment records. The issue of entitlement to service connection for PTSD will be reconsidered after this development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not meet the diagnostic criteria for PTSD and therefore, service connection is denied.

The Veteran's PTSD has resulted in total occupational and social impairment since September 1, 2007, warranting a 100 percent disability rating.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for major depression has been reopened and granted. The Board finds that the Veteran's current diagnoses of PTSD and major depression are related to her active military service.

The Veteran's PTSD has been productive of occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform tasks due to symptoms such as depressed mood, chronic sleep impairment, avoidance of crowds, hypervigilance, and increased startle response. The current 30 percent evaluation is appropriate given the Veteran's symptoms.