PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2019

The Veteran's hearing loss disability was restored to a 50% rating, effective February 1, 2014. The initial PTSD claim for an increased rating is denied.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for an increased evaluation of PTSD, and the Board dismissed this issue. The claim to reopen service connection for PTSD was received on July 21, 2008, but no effective date earlier than July 21, 2008 is granted as the criteria are not met.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional records from his chiropractor and private psychiatrist. The issues of entitlement to increased ratings for PTSD, cervical spine strain, and left shoulder sprain are pending.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's claimed in-service stressor and his current psychiatric conditions. The Veteran will need to provide deck logs from his service on the USCGC McLane, and a VA examination is needed to determine if his current diagnoses are related to his military service or his service-connected hearing loss.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation, and the appeal for sleep apnea is dismissed.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection have been dismissed. The Board has remanded the remaining issues due to the need to obtain Social Security Administration (SSA) records.

The Veteran's claim for hypertension has been reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. Service connection is denied.,Service connection for COPD is denied as there is no evidence linking it to service, including exposure to Agent Orange.,An acquired psychiatric disorder (likely to include PTSD and Depression) is not service-connected as there is insufficient evidence connecting current symptoms to military service.,Thrombosis, poor circulation, and edema are remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether sleep apnea is caused or aggravated by service-connected conditions, specifically hyperthyroidism and PTSD.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for PTSD and granted it, finding that there is a current diagnosis of PTSD linked to in-service stressors.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's claimed acquired psychiatric disabilities, including PTSD and major neurocognitive disorder. The case will be returned for further development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, depression, and headaches have been reopened. Service connection has been granted for PTSD and depression. The claim for increased rating for urinary incontinence is denied as there is no evidence of renal dysfunction. The claim for increased rating for lumbosacral strain with IVDS remains pending.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and anxiety), sleep apnea, and pulmonary disorder due to outstanding records and need for further examination. The TDIU claim is also remanded.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and major depressive disorder, has been manifested by symptoms indicative of no more than occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking or mood. The Board denied a rating in excess of 70 percent for the Veteran's service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board denied the Veteran's service connection claims for schizoid personality disorder, depression, and PTSD as there was no current diagnosis of PTSD and the evidence did not support a link between any diagnosed conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD with alcohol abuse disorder, is currently rated at 70 percent. The Board found that the severity of his symptoms did not more closely approximate total occupational and social impairment.

The Board denied service connection for cocaine and cannabis use, as well as the reopening of a claim for PTSD due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 50 percent since April 8, 2011 and denied for an increased evaluation.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and PTSD have been granted. The Board found that the Veteran had current disabilities for VA purposes due to military service.

The Board found that the procedural requirements for severance of service connection were not met, and thus the decision to sever service connection for PTSD is void ab initio. The Veteran's claim for restoration of service connection is granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and Depression, finding that there was no verified in-service stressor and insufficient evidence linking his current psychiatric conditions to his military service.