PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2019

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, finding that there was no credible supporting evidence of a stressor and that current pathology is unrelated to service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is remanded due to the need to obtain VA treatment records from 1970 to 2005, and review of new evidence added after the September 2018 Statement of the Case.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD and MDD were rated at a 70 percent for the period prior to November 5, 2016.

The Veteran's claim for a scar across the right lateral posterior flank has been granted with a 10 percent disability rating. The PTSD with alcohol use in full remission from February 25, 2014 to July 22, 2017 and TDIU have also been granted. However, his claim for osteoarthritis and degenerative spondylosis has been remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient medical evidence. The Veteran will need a new examination to determine if he has PTSD or an acquired psychiatric disability other than PTSD, and whether these conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was denied due to the lack of verified in-service stressors.,For his right shoulder traumatic arthritis, a rating in excess of 20 percent prior to November 23, 2015 and in excess of 40 percent since that date were both denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, dermatitis, diabetes, and heart conditions, render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. Therefore, a TDIU is granted.

The Veteran's PTSD has worsened since the last VA examination, and a new examination is needed to determine its current severity.

The Veteran's psychiatric disorder, characterized as PTSD with MDD, anxiety disorder and alcohol use disorder, was not shown to be productive of a disability picture that more nearly approximates total occupational and social impairment from February 20, 2009 to September 19, 2012. The Board found the Veteran's symptoms reflected no more than moderately severe difficulty in social, occupational, or school functioning.

The Board denied a TDIU on an extra-schedular basis for the period prior to January 26, 2005 due to insufficient evidence showing that the Veteran's service-connected PTSD and appendectomy scar alone caused him to be unemployable.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is granted as it is found to be proximately caused by his service-connected Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, and seizures, to include as secondary to TBI. The Veteran's claims were not supported by evidence linking his current conditions to service or a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 70% rating for PTSD is denied because there was no increase in severity of the disability within one year prior to his February 17, 2015 claim.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, anxiety, and depression, has been reopened. The claims of service connection for a lumbar spine disorder, sciatica, erectile dysfunction, special monthly compensation based on loss of use, and TDIU are also remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Veteran withdrew her appeals regarding fibromyalgia, sleep apnea, PTSD and insomnia before the Board could make a decision.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination with a different examiner.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient examination and evaluation of the Veteran's PTSD. The Veteran is seeking a higher disability rating for his service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's appeal of service connection for pes planus was withdrawn. The claims for PTSD, back disability, right knee disability, left knee disability, hypertension, sleep apnea, and erectile dysfunction were all denied due to lack of credible evidence supporting the claimed conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for residuals of a head injury, including TBI residuals, and for depression and PTSD. The claims are based on direct evidence rather than presumptions or secondary conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD did not render him unemployable, as his combined disability rating of 70% already compensates for the functional impact of his symptoms. The Board denied the claim for TDIU.