PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) Board decisions

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for PTSD is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and review of his medical records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's PTSD disability warrants a 100 percent evaluation, representing total occupational and social impairment.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining treatment records and providing an updated VA examination to assess the Veteran's PTSD and its impact on his employability.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to assess the severity of his PTSD and obtain pertinent medical records. The TDIU claim will also be addressed.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for PTSD and thoracic and lumbar strain was denied as there is no evidence that VA received a claim prior to November 7, 2008.

The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for PTSD is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and consideration of any outstanding treatment records.

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms have most nearly approximated total occupational and social impairment throughout the appeal period, warranting a 100 percent rating.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 70 percent since September 14, 2012. The rating is based on the severity of his symptoms and their impact on his occupational and social functioning.

The Board is remanding the case for additional development, including a VA examination to determine if hypertension is related to service-connected ischemic heart disease or exposure to Agent Orange. The Veteran's PTSD may also be considered in relation to his hypertension.

The Board finds that the Veteran was unemployable due to service-connected disabilities since March 1996, and grants an effective date of March 25, 1996 for the award of a TDIU.

The Veteran's PTSD was initially rated at 30 percent prior to September 27, 2011. From that date, the rating has been increased to 50 percent.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD and found that the Veteran's current diagnosis is related to her in-service personal assault. The issue of compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for a right eye disability remains pending due to additional development being required.

The appeal has been withdrawn by the appellant before the Board could make a decision.

The Veteran's PTSD has resulted in deficiencies in work, thinking and mood due to passive suicidal ideations, intrusive thoughts and distressing dreams, avoidance behavior, a sense of foreshortened future, anhedonia, sleep disturbance, irritability, impaired concentration and focus, hypervigilance, exaggerated startle response, social isolation, generalized anxiety with weekly panic attacks, emotional numbing, distrust of people, anger outbursts, decreased libido, difficulty in adapting to stressful circumstances and an inability to establish and maintain work relations. As of February 1, 2008, the Veteran's PTSD has met the percentage requirement for award of a TDIU.

The Veteran's PTSD was initially rated at 30 percent prior to September 2, 2005 and increased to 50 percent effective September 2, 2005. The RO then increased the rating to 70 percent effective June 12, 2006.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current psychiatric disorder, and any diagnosed conditions are not related to service.

The Board has granted an earlier effective date of February 23, 2004 for the grant of service connection for PTSD. The Veteran's claim was reopened based on new and material evidence received after a previous denial in June 2005. The other issues were denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his claims, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and scheduling him for VA examinations to evaluate the severity of his service-connected disabilities.

The Board found that the Veteran does not meet the diagnostic criteria for PTSD and his acquired psychiatric disorder did not manifest in service or for many years thereafter and has not been shown to be causally related to his military service.

The Board found that there is no competent diagnosis of PTSD and the Veteran's psychiatric disorder, to include schizophrenia, was not shown during service or until years after service, and any diagnosed psychiatric disorder has not been related to any verified aspect of the Veteran's period of service.