PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining information about whether Vietnam casualties were treated at Fort Carson or Fitzsimons Army Hospital between November 1968 and April 1969. The Veteran's claim for service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder will be readjudicated after this additional development.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to inconsistencies in the diagnosis and stressor criteria.

The Board found that the Veteran does not meet the diagnostic criteria for PTSD and therefore denied his claim of service connection for PTSD.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining private treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any current sleep disability. The Veteran's claims for service connection on a secondary basis are also addressed in this decision.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is manifested by reduced reliability and productivity in occupational and social functioning due to anxious and flattened affect, panic attacks, sleep difficulty, impaired concentration, diminished judgment, disturbances of motivation and mood, and difficulty establishing and maintaining effective relationships. The Board finds that the criteria for a rating in excess of 50 percent have not been met.

The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude her from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation, thus denying entitlement to TDIU.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disability other than mood disorder (claimed as anxiety, depression, and stress), to include PTSD, is being remanded due to the need for additional VA treatment records.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD, Anxiety Disorder with Panic Attacks, and Depression, are found to be related to pre-service events. The service-connected anxiety disorder is also found to have aggravated the Veteran's chemical dependency. As such, service connection for these conditions is granted.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have PTSD and there is no evidence of a psychosis manifested within one year after service. The medical evidence did not establish any psychiatric disorder, including depression, nicotine dependence, or alcohol dependence, as being causally related to service.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 50 percent prior to April 16, 2012 and at 70 percent from that date. The RO granted a higher rating of 70 percent effective April 16, 2012.

The Board is unable to determine whether the Veteran's service-connected PTSD and/or bilateral hearing loss caused his death, as there are conflicting opinions in the record. The case will be remanded for further clarification.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, and the Board finds that it does not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not meet the DSM-IV criteria for a diagnosis of PTSD, and therefore service connection is denied.

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

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 70 percent since March 1, 2009. The issue of a higher rating for diabetes mellitus was withdrawn prior to the issuance of a decision.

The Veteran's appeal is REMANDED for additional development, including a VA examination to assess the current severity of his PTSD and consideration of whether he is entitled to TDIU.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and nerve damage, prevent him from engaging in substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and occupational experience.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for PTSD and granted it, finding that new evidence confirms a current diagnosis of PTSD related to combat exposure during service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including depressive disorder NOS and PTSD due to incomplete findings in the April 2011 VA examination report and February 2012 addendum. The Veteran is to be provided a new VA examination with a different examiner to determine the nature of his claimed acquired psychiatric disorders.

The Board found that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for service connection for a psychiatric disability, including PTSD, as his current conditions are more likely related to substance abuse and childhood trauma rather than service.