PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2019

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated as 70 percent disabling, and the Board finds that this rating is appropriate given his symptoms of intrusive thoughts, fatigue, insomnia, anger, anhedonia, nightmares, martial discord, depressive symptoms, concentration issues, fear of crowds, isolating behaviors, occasional panic attacks, occasional memory problems. The Veteran's PTSD results in occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood.

The Board has remanded the claims for 'effective date of award' challenges and noninitial increased rating claims for PTSD, ischemic heart disease, and diabetes mellitus, type II. The Veteran's TDIU claim is also being remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder, tinnitus, back condition, neck condition, and bilateral SNHL has been reopened. Service connection is granted for the acquired psychiatric disorder. Tinnitus is also granted as service connected. The claims for back condition, neck condition, and bilateral SNHL are denied.

The Board has granted an effective date of April 30, 2010 for the award of a Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) and Dependents' Education Assistance (DEA) benefits.

The Veteran's claims for increased rating of PTSD, service connection for left ankle with jungle rot, right ankle disability, and spinal stenosis left cripple broken back are pending. The Veteran also has outstanding NODs regarding individual unemployability (TDIU) and special home adaptation. The claim for SMC based on aid and attendance is remanded due to the submission of additional medical records.

The Veteran's PTSD is granted as service-connected. The left and right knee conditions are denied as not related to service.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for PTSD with a personality disorder was denied as there was no new and material evidence received within one year of the April 2, 2009 rating decision. The claim was not pending at any point after the final April 2009 denial but prior to March 31, 2015 when the Veteran filed a new application to reopen her claim.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disorder has been reopened, but the underlying condition is not service-connected.,Service connection was denied for bilateral leg pain as it did not meet the criteria of being related to his service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including a nervous condition, has been reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. The case is now remanded for further evaluation on the merits.

The Board restored the Veteran's 100% disability rating for PTSD effective from August 1, 2018, after finding that there was no material improvement in his PTSD symptoms under ordinary conditions of life and work.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD has been reopened and is now considered for service connection. The Board finds new and material evidence sufficient to reopen the claim.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety and PTSD, is currently rated at 50 percent. The Board finds that the condition more closely approximates a 50 percent rating based on occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for cervical spondylosis was denied, with the Board finding that his forward flexion of the cervical spine did not meet the criteria for an increased rating.,The Veteran's PTSD claim is remanded due to insufficient evidence addressing all potential stressors and other acquired psychiatric disorders.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is denied as the evidence does not show that his service-connected disabilities alone prevent him from securing and maintaining gainful employment.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for bilateral high frequency hearing loss was denied, and his initial disability rating for PTSD was granted at 30 percent. The effective dates for both were set as April 22, 2013.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including back injury, right knee disability, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, heart condition, TBI, and PTSD. The claims were not granted.

The Veteran's PTSD was granted as it is related to a fear of hostile military activity during his service in Korea, and the VA has confirmed this stressor.

The Veteran's service connection claim for left ear hearing loss is granted, while claims for right ear hearing loss, tinnitus, psychiatric disorder (including PTSD), heart disorder, osteopenia, cervical spine (neck) disability, left shoulder disability, right shoulder disability, left hip disability, right hip disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, left ankle disability, and right ankle disability are denied. The Veteran's service connection claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability is also remanded.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings for PTSD with insomnia has been dismissed as the Veteran requested withdrawal of the appeal prior to a decision being made.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, but the Board has not yet determined whether new evidence is sufficient to grant these claims. The Veteran was granted service connection for tinnitus and headaches, while his claims for sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, acid reflux (secondary to PTSD), and erectile dysfunction (secondary to PTSD) are still pending.,The Veteran's low back condition claim remains denied as there is no new evidence provided that relates the current disability to active duty service.