PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, tinnitus, and defective hearing, are found to preclude him from securing and following substantially gainful employment. The claim for TDIU is granted.

The Veteran's PTSD was manifested by occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas, such as work, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood, due to various symptoms for the period from August 12, 2004 to September 28, 2005.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional treatment records and for a new VA examination to assess the severity of his PTSD. The claim will be readjudicated after these actions.

The Veteran's PTSD was initially rated at 10 percent prior to September 10, 2008. The rating has been increased multiple times since then.

The Veteran's PTSD prior to August 31, 2011 was rated at 50 percent and granted. From August 31, 2011 onwards, the rating for PTSD has been increased to 70 percent.

The Veteran's PTSD was manifested by occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity, warranting a disability rating of 30 percent.

The Veteran's appeal was withdrawn for the issues of increased evaluations for PTSD, right knee and lumbar spine disabilities. The Board granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the left knee as secondary to his service-connected right knee disability.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA psychiatric examination to assess the severity of his PTSD and its impact on his employment.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection for PTSD and for an increased rating for alopecia areata prior to the Board's decision.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional examinations and development due to changes in his condition since the last examination, including an increase in PTSD symptoms and hearing loss.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for further development due to inconsistencies in his medical history and diagnoses, as well as potential pre-existing conditions. The case will be returned to the RO for additional examination and opinion.

The Veteran's PTSD with major depressive disorder is currently rated at 50 percent, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted. The evidence does not demonstrate occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.

The Veteran's PTSD resulted in occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas, warranting a 70 percent rating prior to October 5, 2011.

The Veteran's PTSD was primarily manifested by symptoms of impaired sleep, irritability, distressing recollections, hypervigilance, and an exaggerated startle response. The VA examiner found no more than occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

The Veteran's PTSD was manifested by symptoms of sleep impairment, nightmares, irritability, panic attacks, impaired impulse control, depression, anxiety, restricted range of affect, feelings of detachment, increased arousal, difficulty concentrating, avoidance, hypervigilance, and inability to establish effective relationships. The disability resulted in occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas such as work, family relations, thinking, and mood.

The Veteran's PTSD has been restored to a 100% rating, effective February 1, 2011.

The Veteran's psychiatric symptoms are generally moderate, with occupational and social impairment due to PTSD. The Board found that the criteria for an evaluation in excess of 50 percent have not been met.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including verification of service dates and stressor events. The Veteran is presumed to have been sound at entry into service but may have developed a psychiatric disability during his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining VA and private treatment records, SSA records, and a new examination by a qualified psychiatric examiner to address the claims of service connection for residuals of a traumatic brain injury, PTSD, memory loss, bilateral shoulder disability, nerve damage to the diaphragm, and respiratory disability.

The Veteran's current PTSD is found to be service-connected, as it was incurred during his military service.