PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) Board decisions

The Veteran's PTSD with depression was initially granted and rated at 30 percent effective April 19, 2004. The RO later changed the effective date to July 22, 2004 when his claim for service connection was received by the RO.

The Veteran's current calluses, right foot, are related to service and the Board finds them to be related to his in-service corns. The Veteran also has a thoracolumbar spine disability that is at least as likely as not related to service. However, there is no evidence of PTSD or any other acquired psychiatric disability due to service.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, effective September 1, 2005. The rating reflects occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity due to symptoms such as anxiety, anger, nightmares, flashbacks, moderate sleep impairment, occasional suicidal ideation, hypervigilance, preference for solitude, fluctuant energy levels, daily use of prescribed medications, and GAF scores ranging from 60 to 51.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for PTSD, rhinitis (claimed as sinusitis and nasal polyps), and tension headaches (claimed as migraine headaches) are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of records.

The Veteran's PTSD is found to be attributable to his active military service, and the claim for service connection is granted.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including a new VA examination and notification to the Veteran regarding his TDIU claim. The issues of an increased rating for PTSD and entitlement to TDIU are pending.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was granted with an effective date of November 9, 2004. The original denial in February 2005 was based on the lack of a verified in-service stressor, but new evidence from October 1965 established that the Veteran received the Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB), which is considered sufficient to concede an in-service stressor.

The Veteran's petition to reopen claims for PTSD and Lisfranc fracture were successful, but the claim for left ankle sprain remains denied as new evidence does not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and examinations.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of service connection for PTSD is granted, based on the receipt of unit history records that confirmed his reported stressor events during service and/or participation in combat.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, alone, do not render him unable to care for his daily needs or protect himself from the hazards incident to his environment. Therefore, he does not meet the criteria for SMC based on need for regular aid and attendance of another person.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, and the claim for a higher rating was denied. The residual scarring above his left eye was not found to be service-connected.

The Veteran's PTSD resulted in near-continuous anxiety and depression, along with difficulty adapting to stressful circumstances at work. The VA rating criteria for PTSD accurately reflect the severity of his disability.

The Veteran's PTSD has been found to cause total occupational and social impairment, warranting a disability rating of 100 percent effective October 2009.

The Veteran's PTSD and bilateral pes planus were found to be related to his service, with the pes planus being aggravated by service.

The Board found that the March 1993 and September 1993 rating decisions denying service connection for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder were not clearly and unmistakably erroneous. The Veteran's claim of increase for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder is remanded due to lack of recent VA mental health evaluation records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for an increased rating for PTSD due to outstanding VA treatment records and a need for a more contemporaneous VA examination. The matter is also referred to the RO for consideration of extra-schedular considerations.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and PTSD are being remanded due to the unavailability of his service records. The VA is instructed to attempt to obtain additional evidence regarding the in-service stressor event for PTSD.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for PTSD and finds that new evidence supports a current diagnosis. The Veteran's in-service experiences are recognized, but no specific stressor is linked to his PTSD. No skin disability was found due to lack of service records or medical evidence.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA outpatient treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of his PTSD. The issue of TDIU will also be addressed.