PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to ambiguity in the Veteran's VA treatment records and the August 2009 VA examination report regarding whether PTSD is currently diagnosed.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA and private treatment records, scheduling a VA examination to assess the impact of his service-connected disabilities on his employability, and issuing a statement of the case regarding his increased disability evaluation claim.

The Board has granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that his arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease and PTSD contributed to his death.

The Veteran's appeal for a rating in excess of 30 percent for PTSD has been dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for pancreatitis and an increased rating for hemorrhoids were denied. The Board found no current diagnosis of pancreatitis, and the Veteran's hemorrhoids are currently evaluated as noncompensable.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including posttraumatic stress disorder and anxiety disorder, is related to his military service and grants this claim.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and additional medical records. The issue remains an initial increased rating claim for PTSD.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination and further review of his stressor claims.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to her failure to attend a scheduled hearing. The issues listed on the title page are still pending.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various psychiatric disorders, tinnitus, maxillary sinusitis, hemorrhoids, lupus, hiatal hernia with reflux, dextroscoliosis of the mid-thoracic spine, palmar and facial erythema, livedo reticularis, and TDIU were denied. The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was not substantiated as his claimed psychiatric disorders are not related to military service. His claims for tinnitus, maxillary sinusitis, hemorrhoids, lupus, hiatal hernia with reflux, dextroscoliosis of the mid-thoracic spine, palmar and facial erythema, livedo reticularis, and TDIU were also denied as there was no evidence of a current disability or that any such disabilities are related to military service. The Veteran's claim for CUE in the April 1992 rating decision denying tinnitus was not established.

The Board found that the Veteran's PTSD is related to his service aboard the USS Preston, and granted service connection for this condition. Service connection was also granted for prostate cancer as secondary to Agent Orange exposure. However, there was no current hearing loss disability meeting VA criteria.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 30 percent since August 15, 2003. Since March 2, 2011, the rating is increased to 50 percent.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently evaluated as 70 percent disabling, but the Board found that his symptoms do not warrant a higher evaluation due to insufficient evidence of total occupational and social impairment.

The Board has determined that the August 24, 1989 rating decision contained clear and unmistakable error in assigning a 30 percent rating for PTSD. The Veteran's initial ritual during service caused severe psychological trauma, leading to ongoing harassment from fellow service members and inability to perform duties effectively. As such, an initial 50 percent rating is assigned effective July 12, 1989.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for heart disease was granted based on presumed exposure to herbicide agents. The claim for an earlier effective date for the PTSD rating increase was denied as no evidence showed an increase in disability prior to August 24, 2005.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim of service connection for PTSD. The Veteran's long-time treating physician, Dr. Renner, has provided a diagnosis of PTSD.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for PTSD was denied, and his TDIU claim is pending. The effective date of the grant of service connection for PTSD remains April 19, 2002.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD and depression, is being remanded due to the need for a VA psychiatric examination and consideration of his claim under the amended version of the regulation governing service connection for PTSD.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain updated VA treatment records, conduct a new VA examination for PTSD, and determine the effect of his alcohol abuse on his employability.

The Veteran's PTSD is not productive of occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas, such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood.