PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete service records and unverified in-service stressor. The Veteran's psychiatric conditions, including PTSD, anxiety, and depression, are being reviewed for possible service connection.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for PTSD and TDIU have been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for service connection for PTSD, Schizophrenia, or Chronic Adjustment Disorder due to lack of a valid diagnosis and because his psychiatric conditions are presumed to have existed prior to service.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent effective March 1, 2014. The appeal for a higher rating has been granted.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD, finding that the Veteran's symptoms are due to an in-service stressor involving combat.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, and headaches. The evidence did not establish a link between these conditions and service.

The Veteran's PTSD is granted service connection, but his personality disorder and other psychiatric disorders are denied. The ratings for his peripheral neuropathy remain at 20 percent, and the appeal for sleep apnea is remanded.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for tinnitus must be denied as the maximum schedular rating of 10 percent has been assigned.,The awards of service connection for left and right lower extremity femoral nerve radiculopathy are not entitled to an earlier effective date due to failure to perfect an appeal in January 2014.,Increased ratings for PTSD, thoracolumbar spine degenerative disc disease, left and right lower extremity femoral nerve radiculopathies, and left and right lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathies are remanded. The Veteran's entitlement to service connection for sleep apnea is also remanded.,The award of an earlier effective date for the increased rating of 20 percent for right lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy is remanded.,The issue of a TDIU prior to June 2, 2017 is inextricably intertwined with the increased rating claims and must be remanded as well.

The Veteran's PTSD was initially rated at 30 percent, and the RO increased it to 50 percent effective November 18, 2010. The Board finds that the preponderance of evidence supports a 50 percent rating prior to November 18, 2010.,The Veteran's TDIU was granted based on his service-connected disabilities effective February 12, 2015. Prior to this date, he did not meet the criteria for TDIU.

The Veteran's PTSD prior to his death was manifested by total occupational and social impairment, warranting a rating of 100 percent.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is rated at 70 percent, the highest available rating under the criteria for mental disorders. This decision grants an increased evaluation for PTSD.

The Veteran's appeal for reducing his PTSD and Major Depressive Disorder rating from 70% to 50% effective April 1, 2017 has been dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Board has remanded the appeals for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, erectile dysfunction, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD), fibromyalgia (neck, back, buttocks pain), and herpes. The Veteran is entitled to a VA addendum opinion on each issue.

The Board denied service connection for a disability manifested by noncardiac chest pain and denied higher ratings for PTSD prior to June 20, 2017 and from June 20, 2017. The Veteran's dry eye syndrome of the left eye was granted an initial rating of 10 percent.

The Veteran's TDIU claim from October 26, 2010 is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination of his degenerative disc disease. The initial rating claim for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine and the TDIU claim are inextricably intertwined.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection and TDIU due to incomplete records, particularly from VA Medical Center (VAMC) and private doctors. The Veteran's psychiatric disorder claim is remanded for a new VA examination to determine if any acquired psychiatric disorders are related to service.

The Board denied the reduction of the Veteran's PTSD disability rating from 100 percent to 70 percent, finding that there was material improvement in his condition and ability to function under ordinary conditions.

The Veteran is granted a 50 percent rating for PTSD from February 3, 2015, excluding the period of temporary total rating from May 10, 2016 to June 30, 2016.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's claimed stressors and the need for a new VA examination to determine if his psychiatric disabilities are related to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, finding that there is no credible evidence of in-service stressors and thus not meeting the criteria for service connection.