PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) Board decisions

The Board has remanded the issues of entitlement to service connection for a bilateral foot disability and for a psychiatric disability, to include PTSD due to incomplete examination reports and conflicting evidence.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent since March 13, 2009. The Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted for any period.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's previously denied claim of service connection for PTSD. The Veteran's current PTSD is related to active service, as evidenced by his in-service stressors and post-service treatment records.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and clarifying his Social Security Administration disability benefits application. The RO must also determine the nature of any mood and depressive disorders and whether they are related to PTSD or fibromyalgia.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to his request for a hearing before a Veterans' Law Judge via videoconference at the local RO.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a PTSD examination to determine the adequacy of his stressor allegations and whether any diagnosed psychiatric disorder is related to service.

The Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation greater than 50 percent for service-connected PTSD is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and updated treatment records.

The Board has determined that further development is needed to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's psychiatric disorders, including whether they are related to his active service. The examination must assess if PTSD meets the DSM-IV criteria for diagnosis and whether it is at least as likely as not caused by an in-service stressor, such as fear of hostile military or terrorist activity. For any other acquired psychiatric disorder found, the examiner must determine if it began during service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a VA examination to assess the Veteran's psychiatric conditions and determine if they are related to service. The issues include service connection for PTSD and other psychiatric disabilities, as well as TDIU.

The Veteran's PTSD caused occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity, resulting in difficulty establishing and maintaining effective relationships. The Board found a disability rating of 50 percent but no greater is warranted for PTSD from March 2007 to the present.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to allow for further development of the record, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and a VA examination to assess his service-connected PTSD and bilateral hearing loss.

The Board found that the Veteran's claimed psychiatric disabilities, including PTSD and Major Depression, were not incurred in or aggravated by active military service. The evidence did not establish a nexus between his current conditions and his service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and SSA records. The case will be reviewed by the RO after this additional development.

The Veteran's service connection claims for PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, skin cancer, impaired glucose tolerance and/or diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and back injury were all granted. The Veteran was assigned a 100% disability rating for PTSD from November 26, 2007 to January 26, 2009, and a greater than 50% rating thereafter.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and major depressive disorder, is at least partly attributable to unfortunate events that occurred during her military service.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for right foot symptomatic dorsal callosities was granted, with a temporary total evaluation based upon surgical or other treatment necessitating convalescence from October 14, 2009 to December 1, 2010. A 10 percent rating was then assigned, effective December 1, 2010.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for PTSD and bilateral hearing loss were denied. The Veteran was not granted staged evaluations or higher disability ratings.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and employment records. The case will be readjudicated after the development.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, which reflects the severity of symptoms such as irritability, loss of energy, difficulty interacting with others, poor concentration, explosive anger, and hypervigilance. The disability results in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity but does not meet criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran seeks service connection for PTSD and other psychiatric disorders. The Board has remanded the case to obtain additional medical records, conduct a VA examination, and determine whether any diagnosed conditions are related to his active service.