PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) Board decisions

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for PTSD and depressive disorder is being remanded due to the need for additional examination and consideration of new medical evidence.

The Board finds that there is no credible in-service event or stressor to which the Veteran's psychiatric disability can be linked, and thus service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, anxiety, and depression, cannot be granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's timely substantive appeal for service connection for PTSD was not filed within the required timeframe, and thus the claim is denied.

Since January 25, 2010, the Veteran's PTSD has not met the criteria for a disability rating in excess of 70 percent due to his symptoms remaining within the range that warrants a 70 percent evaluation.

The Board has granted service connection for acquired psychiatric disability including depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, PTSD, and cognitive impairment. The evidence is in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's conditions are caused by his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development due to the submission of new evidence without a waiver, and because the issues are intertwined. The case will be reconsidered after all relevant records have been obtained.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, was denied as there is no verified in-service stressor and the preponderance of medical evidence does not support a link between his current condition and military service.

Throughout the entire rating period on appeal, the Veteran's PTSD with schizophrenia has been characterized by occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity due to symptoms such as social anxiety, depression, sleep impairment, irritability, recurrent and distressing recollections, and hypervigilance. The criteria for a disability rating of 50 percent have been met.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for further action, including scheduling a hearing before the Board at his current address.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for PTSD must fail as a matter of law, and the appeal is dismissed.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for PTSD was denied, with the Board finding that the evidence did not support an increase in his disability rating from October 1, 2007 to May 25, 2011. On and after May 25, 2011, the Veteran's PTSD symptoms were found to warrant a 70 percent rating.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional evidence and provide a new VA examination for his PTSD. The TDIU claim will also be considered as part of the increased rating claim.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining VA mental health records and scheduling a VA psychiatric examination to determine if the Veteran's PTSD diagnosis conforms with DSM-IV criteria and whether his claimed stressors are adequate to support a PTSD diagnosis. The examiner is also asked to provide an opinion on whether his symptoms are more, less, or equally likely related to the claimed stressor(s).

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of September 26, 2008, for a 70 percent rating for PTSD was granted. The Board found that the evidence did not show worsening between July 14, 2008 and September 26, 2008.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a hearing at the RO before a Veterans Law Judge. The issue on appeal is service connection for a psychiatric disorder to include posttraumatic stress disorder and schizoaffective disorder.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, claimed as PTSD, is related to sexual assaults in service and has granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including a comprehensive VA psychiatric examination and an opinion regarding whether the Veteran's current acquired psychiatric disorder is at least as likely as not caused by military sexual trauma.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The Veteran is seeking an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for PTSD.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated at 10 percent, and his PTSD is rated at the maximum 70 percent rating.

The Board denied both claims, finding that the preponderance of evidence did not show a factually ascertainable increase in PTSD symptomatology or inability to secure and follow substantially gainful employment as of December 16, 2003.