PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) Board decisions

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), is remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding the in-service personal assault and its impact on his current condition. The case will be further examined with a focus on corroborating evidence of behavior changes after the alleged incident.

The Veteran's appeal for higher disability ratings for his PTSD is being remanded due to the lack of evidence reflecting his condition throughout the lengthy appeal period, which now spans nearly ten years. The VA is required to consider the level of the veteran's impairment throughout the entire period and assign staged ratings if necessary.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 10 percent since the initial grant of service connection in November 2004 and increased to 30 percent effective July 30, 2010. The Veteran withdrew his appeal for a compensable rating for skin rash prior to the Board's decision.,The Veteran's PTSD has resulted in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity over the entire appeals period.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining missing service treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to determine if any current psychiatric disorders are related to service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II is granted due to exposure to herbicide agents during his active duty in Vietnam. The issue of entitlement to a compensable initial rating for degenerative joint disease of the right elbow has been withdrawn by the Veteran. Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD and depression, is granted based on presumed exposure to Agent Orange.

The Veteran's PTSD rating was reduced from 100% to 70%, effective July 1, 2007.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and denied the remaining claims, including those related to diabetes mellitus type II. The Veteran's claim for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities is remanded due to conflicting statements regarding his military duties.

The Veteran's PTSD was rated at 70 percent prior to July 5, 2006 due to significant symptoms including nightmares, intrusive thoughts, and memory loss. The Veteran had been unable to engage in substantial gainful employment from November 13, 2005 to July 4, 2006.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unemployable, and the Board has granted entitlement to TDIU.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a video-conference hearing before a Veterans Law Judge.

The Veteran's PTSD has resulted in significant occupational and social impairment, warranting a 70 percent disability rating. The Board also granted TDIU based on the severity of his PTSD.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 50 percent, effective from the date of his claim for increase. The rating is based on occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

The Veteran's PTSD with substance abuse was granted a 50% rating effective September 3, 2009. The initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for additional development due to missing medical records and a need for an examination. The Veteran is seeking service connection for PTSD, major depression, and anxiety.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is currently rated at 70 percent, and the Board has granted a higher evaluation to 100 percent effective from the date of service connection.

The Veteran's PTSD is related to his fear of hostile military activity during service, and the Board finds that he has a current diagnosis of PTSD. The erectile dysfunction claim will be remanded for additional development.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 70 percent, which meets the criteria for a higher rating. The right knee and left knee disabilities are each rated at 10 percent. The Board has determined that the Veteran is unemployable due to his service-connected conditions.

The Board denied the claim of entitlement to service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, generalized anxiety disorder, and depression due to lack of credible evidence supporting the claimed in-service stressors.

For the period September 23, 2005 to April 24, 2006, the appellant's PTSD did not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation.,Between April 25, 2006 and March 31, 2010, the appellant's PTSD met the criteria for a 50% evaluation.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher initial disability rating for PTSD was denied. The VA Regional Office (RO) in Seattle, Washington granted service connection for PTSD with an evaluation of 10 percent effective November 20, 2006 and later increased the rating to 30 percent effective November 20, 2006. However, the Veteran's claim for a higher initial disability rating remains denied.