PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn by the appellant and his representative, resulting in the dismissal of the case.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including a VA examination to assess his PTSD and its impact on employment. The case will be readjudicated following the additional development.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 70 percent, effective from May 16, 2005. The claim for TDIU has not been met.

The Veteran's death was not caused by any service-connected conditions, including PTSD and the residuals of a gunshot wound to the right forearm with arthritis of the right elbow. The cause of death listed on his death certificate was sudden cardiac syndrome, which is unrelated to service.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 30 percent since July 9, 2007. The Board found that the current rating adequately reflects the severity of his disability.

The Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining private treatment reports and scheduling a VA examination.

The Veteran has been granted service connection for left ear hearing loss due to in-service noise exposure. However, there is no current right ear hearing loss disability for VA purposes.

The appeal has been withdrawn by the appellant through his authorized representative, and thus the case is dismissed.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and an examination to determine if the Veteran's psychiatric disability, including PTSD, is related to his military service. The Veteran will be provided with a supplemental statement of the case (SOC) summarizing the decision.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination and consideration under the new version of 38 C.F.R. § 3.304.

The Veteran's PTSD with major depression is found to be attributable to an in-service sexual assault, and the claim for service connection is granted.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been presented to reopen the service connection claim for PTSD, which was initially denied in May 2003. The Veteran provided more detailed stressor information subsequent to the September 2004 rating decision.

The Veteran's PTSD was rated at 100% from August 4, 2005. The appellant argues that the Veteran should have been rated at 100% for more than eight years prior to his death in June 2006, but this is not sufficient to meet the criteria for enhanced DIC under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1311(a)(2).

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD has been rated at 30 percent since September 2006. The appeal is for an increase in the disability rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim should include consideration of an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include manic depressive disorder. The case is REMANDED for further development and adjudication.

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms have remained consistent, with occupational and social impairment due to irritability, anger, depressive episodes, avoidance behavior, sleep disturbance, alcohol binges, hyperstartle, anxiety, and hypervigilance. A 70 percent rating is granted from May 30, 2006, but no higher ratings are warranted.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is manifested by social and occupational impairment with reduced reliability and productivity due to depression, anxiety, irritability, sleep disturbance, and self-isolation. The Board finds that the disability more nearly approximates the level of disability contemplated by a 50 percent rating under DC 9411.

The Veteran's PTSD with major depressive disorder has been rated at 30 percent, but the Board finds that his symptoms more nearly approximate a 50 percent rating.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to conflicting evidence and the need for clarification of his employment status. The case will be returned to the Board after further development.

The Veteran's service connection claim for PTSD is granted as the Board finds that he engaged in combat and his stressors are consistent with his duties as a fire control technician aboard a destroyer during Vietnam. The medical evidence supports a diagnosis of PTSD.