PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2019

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD has been rated at 70 percent since August 28, 2012. This rating is based on the severity of symptoms and functional impairment caused by PTSD.

The Board has denied a rating in excess of 30 percent for PTSD and remanded the issue of entitlement to TDIU. The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated as 30 percent disabling.

The Board denied service connection for TBI residuals, PTSD, and the reopening of service connection for an anxiety disorder due to lack of credible evidence supporting these claims.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 50 percent since June 2016, with a grant of an initial rating. The Board affirms this decision and finds that the disability picture most nearly approximates a 50 percent rating for PTSD.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are of sufficient severity to preclude him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment, warranting a TDIU.

The Veteran's claim to reopen his previously denied PTSD service connection was received on March 20, 2012. The Board found that an earlier effective date is not warranted and denied the request for a prior effective date.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to consider additional VA treatment records and obtain updated VA examination reports, as well as any relevant records from the Rochester Vet Center. The issue of whether discontinuance of the separate rating for TBI residuals with cognitive disorder was proper will be addressed in the Supplemental Statement of the Case.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently evaluated as 70 percent disabling, and the Board finds that his symptoms do not meet the criteria for a higher rating due to total occupational and social impairment.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus but remanded the issue of whether the Veteran has PTSD due to in-service stressors.

The Board has decided that an earlier effective date for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder is denied. The Veteran's TDIU claim was granted, and the Board has also remanded his initial rating claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and the criteria for DIC under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318 were not met.

The Veteran's service connection claim for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD have been denied. The TDIU issue is being remanded.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence to support the Veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative right shoulder disability, left shoulder disability, plantar fasciitis with bone spurs, and PTSD.,There are no medical records or STRs indicating any complaints or diagnoses related to these conditions during or shortly after service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was previously denied in a May 2005 decision. New evidence has been submitted, reopening the claim and remanding it for further examination to determine if any acquired psychiatric disorders are related to service.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any currently present acquired psychiatric disability, including anxiety disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, and posttraumatic stress disorder. The claim for service connection will also be addressed.

The Veteran's increased ratings for PTSD and bilateral hearing loss are being remanded due to the need for additional treatment records.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied. The Veteran's tinnitus and migraines are granted, with a 50% initial disability rating assigned. Service connection for lumbosacral strain is granted effective February 17, 2012, but the Veteran's claim for higher ratings remains pending. Service connection for PTSD is granted with an initial 70% disability rating and TDIU status from February 17, 2012.

The Board found that the Veteran's October 29, 2013 VA Form 9 was timely filed due to a government shutdown during the appeal period. As a result, the claim for service connection for PTSD is granted.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's request for a rating greater than 50 percent for PTSD, as their appeal is moot due to the finality of the July 2017 decision.

The Veteran's PTSD and acquired psychiatric disorder (other than PTSD) have been granted service connection.,The Veteran's left shoulder disorder has also been granted service connection.