PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2020

The Board denied service connection for PTSD or an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depression. The Veteran's claims were based on in-service stressors that were not related to fear of hostile military or terrorist activity.,For the left ear hearing loss, the Veteran was assigned a noncompensable rating as his hearing impairment did not meet the criteria for any higher rating.

The Veteran's PTSD is found to be related to in-service stressors, and service connection for PTSD is granted.

The Veteran's PTSD and Major Depressive Disorder are currently rated at 70 percent, reflecting significant impairment but not total occupational and social impairment.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, increased ratings for right ankle strain and sinusitis due to additional development needed.

The Board vacated the December 2019 decision that denied higher ratings for PTSD, granted a 50% rating prior to September 26, 2018, and a 70% rating thereafter.

The Veteran's initial disability rating of 70 percent for service-connected PTSD is granted, effective November 16, 2017. The RO also granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus with an effective date of November 16, 2017.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to his failure to appear for scheduled examinations. The claims will be reconsidered based on the evidence in the record.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and sleep apnea are remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining deck logs from the USS Thomaston and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board has remanded the case for further development regarding the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU). The issues of service connection and exposure basis are not addressed in this decision.

The Board has determined that the matter must be remanded for additional development due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the cause of death and service connection claims.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for acquired psychiatric disorder and tinnitus has been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claims, and that there was no causal relationship between current symptoms and military service.

The appeal as to the timeliness of the substantive appeal received on November 17, 2016 is denied. The criteria for an initial rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD are also denied.

The Board has granted service connection for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) based on an in-service personal assault. The Veteran's PTSD is found to be attributable to the alleged military sexual trauma (MST).

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's in-service events and a need for further development of his acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, and the Board has found that new and material evidence has been presented to reopen his claims of bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, tinnitus, PTSD, multiple sclerosis, and thoracolumbar spine disorder. The left wrist disorder claim is still pending.

The Board denied a claim for a higher disability rating for PTSD, finding that the Veteran's symptoms are more clinically characteristic of those contemplated by the currently assigned 30 percent evaluation than those contemplated by the criteria for a 50 percent evaluation.

The Veteran's claims for GERD, PTSD, erectile dysfunction, and tinnitus have been reopened. Service connection has been granted for PTSD, erectile dysfunction as secondary to PTSD, and special monthly compensation for loss of use of a creative organ. Tinnitus is found to be etiologically related to in-service noise exposure.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to incomplete records and further development is needed.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is now rated at 70 percent effective July 2, 2018. The Board found that the severity, frequency, and duration of his symptoms more closely approximated occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the schedular criteria for a TDIU. However, his employment impediments and unemployability due to these conditions are deemed by the Board to warrant referral to the Director of Compensation Service for extra-schedular consideration.