PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2020

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 30 percent prior to June 13, 2016 and in excess of 70 percent thereafter. The Board denied the claim for a higher initial rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran’s service-connected conditions, including PTSD and major depressive disorder, contributed to his fatal drug use, which caused his death. The appeal is granted.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded due to the need for updated VA and private treatment records, as well as a psychiatric examination to assess his current functional impairment.

The Veteran's PTSD is related to stressors during service involving fear of hostile military or terrorist activity, and the Board has granted service connection for PTSD.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD has prevented him from securing and following substantially gainful employment throughout the appeal period, meeting the criteria for a TDIU effective September 16, 2013.

The claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 50 percent for service-connected PTSD is denied. The claim for TDIU due to service-connected disabilities is also denied.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD based on military sexual trauma (MST), due to the Veteran's unreliable history and lack of credible supporting evidence.

The Veteran's migraine headaches are granted a 30% rating as of October 18, 2013. Prior to this date, he was rated at 10%. The increased ratings for PTSD and lumbar strain remain denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's appeal for further development and consideration of his claim for service connection for a psychiatric disability, including PTSD and schizophrenia. The AOJ must obtain medical records from Hampton Court Nursing Home in Miami, Florida, and request an opinion from a VA clinician to determine the nature, date of initial onset, and etiology of any psychiatric disabilities present during the appeal period.

The Veteran's tinnitus, bilateral knee disorder, left shoulder disorder, abdominal disorder, GERD, and acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD) are all granted as service-connected.,The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted.

The Board has remanded the case due to new evidence received since the April 2018 Supplemental Statement of the Case, and the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, depression, anxiety, and panic disorder is being reconsidered.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to his service-connected PTSD. The opinion concludes that the Veteran’s sleep apnea is aggravated by his PTSD.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render her unemployable, and the Board has granted a TDIU effective October 19, 2015.

The Veteran's death was not service-connected, and his service-connected conditions did not contribute to his death. The Board found that the cause of death (cardiopulmonary arrest) was not related to service or service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD and a retroactive effective date is dismissed due to the Veteran's death.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is related to service or secondary to his service-connected PTSD. The examiner must provide an opinion on both direct and secondary service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss disability do not prevent him from securing or following all forms of substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and work experience.

The Veteran's service connection claim for PTSD is granted as his symptoms are related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 30 percent, and the Board denied a higher rating. The appeal for TDIU was also denied.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including seeking evidence about the Veteran's part-time work as an auctioneer and determining whether it qualifies as marginal employment. The VA examinations are also needed to assess the impact of his service-connected disabilities on his employability.