PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2019

The Veteran withdrew from the appeal all claims related to bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, PTSD with major depressive disorder and a cognitive disorder, dry eye syndrome with eyelid cysts, and TBI.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence of current psychiatric symptoms and a need for updated treatment records. The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, but his attorney has requested a higher rating.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the appellant's service-connected disabilities, including psychiatric disability, right foot contusion with metatarsalgia, cervical spine strain with degenerative arthritis, left knee osteoarthritis, right knee osteoarthritis, residuals of a fractured right index finger, and residuals of a fractured right little finger. The remand requires obtaining additional medical records, scheduling examinations to assess the severity of these disabilities, and issuing an SSOC regarding the April 2016 denial of service connection for a psychiatric disability.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a skin disorder has been reopened. The Board found new and material evidence to support the reopening of this claim. However, the Veteran’s PTSD is rated at 30 percent, which does not meet the criteria for an increased rating under the General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders due to his symptoms being described as mild or transient with occasional decrease in work efficiency during periods of significant stress.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for recurrent microscopic hematuria, urethritis, left knee ACL ligament tear and arthritis, sleep apnea, and acquired psychiatric disability (including major depressive disorder and PTSD) have been dismissed due to the Veteran's withdrawal of his appeal.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, effective from the date of his claim. The Board has remanded for further evaluation due to new evidence and for consideration of individual unemployability.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and additional development. The Board finds that new evidence has been submitted which raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating his claim.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete evidence and need for additional examinations. The issues of left arm pain, left leg pain, migraine headaches, and acquired psychiatric disability are all being reviewed.

The Veteran's claim to reopen the service connection for PTSD is granted. The Board finds that new and material evidence has been received, raising a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim. However, further development is needed to verify the alleged stressor event in service and determine if the Veteran has PTSD related to such event.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and effective dates have been denied. The Board found that the current schedular evaluations adequately reflect his hearing loss and tinnitus disabilities, and no referral to extraschedular evaluation was required.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further evaluation and determination of the merits of various service connection claims.

The Veteran's PTSD has been granted a 100% disability rating.,A TDIU is dismissed as moot due to the concurrent grant of a 100% PTSD rating.

The Board denied service connection for sleep apnea secondary to service-connected depressive disorder with PTSD and adenocarcinoma of the prostate, finding that the Veteran's current sleep apnea is not caused or aggravated by his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is granted as related to service. The Board also found that the Veteran has other conditions like sinusitis, pituitary gland condition, joint pain, elbow and knee conditions, and GERD which are presumed to be due to his service in Saudi Arabia.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a sleep disability, PTSD, left eye disability, and headache disability have been dismissed due to withdrawal of the claims.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including anxiety disorder and PTSD, finding that there is no evidence of in-service stressors or diagnoses related to service.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted service connection as it originated during active duty. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss and ear disorder to include bleeding of the ears are denied due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service. Low back, left leg, head trauma, and acquired psychiatric disorders (PTSD) are also denied.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and unspecified depressive disorder, finding that there is no current diagnosis of PTSD and insufficient evidence to establish a nexus between the claimed conditions and service.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at a 100 percent prior to October 5, 2016 and from October 5, 2016 the rating is 70 percent. The TDIU claim is denied as of October 5, 2016.

The Veteran's PTSD has been granted a rating of 50 percent, but no higher. The denial of TDIU remains unchanged.