PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) Board decisions

The Veteran seeks service connection for PTSD, major depressive disorder, and schizoaffective disorder. The Board has remanded the case to obtain additional medical records and to schedule a VA examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining clarification on SSA disability benefits and conducting a VA examination with a psychiatrist or psychologist.

The Board has remanded the case to obtain additional evidence and consider whether service connection for PTSD can be granted based on in-service stressors. The Veteran's claims are currently pending.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is granted as his current diagnosis of PTSD is related to his military service, specifically his duties as a medical corpsman in Vietnam.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbar spondylosis is at least as likely as not incurred in service, and thus grants service connection for this condition. The issue of service connection for PTSD remains pending.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development to consider whether the Veteran's reported fear of being subjected to enemy attacks when his ship shot at Vietnamese land targets, or docked in Vietnamese ports to pick up supplies, is adequate to support a diagnosis of PTSD and if so, whether the Veteran's symptoms are related to the claimed stressor(s).

The Board finds that the Veteran's service-connected PTSD contributed substantially or materially to his death due to a heart condition, warranting service connection for the cause of death.

The Board has determined that another attempt is needed to obtain the Veteran's complete service personnel records, including information about his military assignments and court martial trial. The VA treatment records are also requested for review.

The Veteran's PTSD with major depressive disorder is rated at a 70 percent evaluation, reflecting significant occupational and social impairment.

The Veteran's psychiatric disability was not caused by VA treatment, and therefore he is not entitled to compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of PTSD or any other psychiatric disorder, and there is no evidence linking these conditions to service. The claim for service connection is denied.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU due to PTSD is being remanded as the VA has not provided sufficient evidence regarding whether his service-connected PTSD alone renders him unemployable.

The appellant has withdrawn her appeals regarding the issues of entitlement to service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death and entitlement to accrued benefits. As a result, these issues are dismissed.

The Board finds that the preponderance of the competent evidence does not support a diagnosis of an acquired psychiatric disability, to include PTSD. Therefore, service connection for this condition is denied.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 30 percent for PTSD, to include a rating in excess of 30 percent earlier than February 2011, was denied by the Board. The evidence did not support a higher rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current disability for which service connection can be granted, as her hearing loss and acquired psychiatric disabilities are not related to military service.

The Veteran's appeal involves a request for an increased rating for PTSD and a TDIU due to service-connected PTSD. The RO is instructed to obtain all relevant records, including SSA disability benefits information, and provide the Veteran with another opportunity to submit evidence. The claims will be remanded for further adjudication.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for PTSD and a lumbar spine disorder, finding no current diagnosis of either condition. The claim for PTSD was denied due to lack of evidence conforming to DSM-IV criteria. The claim for a lumbar spine disorder is remanded as there is insufficient information in the July 2006 VA examination report.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for SMC based on need for aid and attendance due to his left below-the-knee amputation. The Veteran is in receipt of SMC based on anatomical loss of one foot, but he does not require regular aid and assistance.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 30 percent, reflecting moderate impairment in social and occupational functioning.