PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is related to his service-connected PTSD or if it was incurred in service.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, and the Board denied a higher rating. The claim for TDIU was also denied as it is considered part of the PTSD claim.

The Veteran's PTSD with depressive disorder and alcohol abuse in sustained partial remission is granted a disability rating of 70 percent from January 22, 2010 to September 8, 2017. A TDIU was granted for the period May 1, 2016 to September 8, 2017.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for PTSD with depressive and anxiety disorders, finding that the claim was received after a final denial in August 2007.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate development, and a new VA examination is required to determine if the Veteran's current psychiatric disabilities are related to his service.

The Veteran's claim for a temporary total rating based on hospitalization from March 4, 2018 to March 16, 2018 for PTSD is dismissed as the Veteran has already been awarded a 100% (total) rating for PTSD.

The Board has restored service connection for PTSD and granted special monthly compensation based on loss of use of a creative organ due to PTSD. Service connection for generalized anxiety disorder and unspecified depressive disorder is also granted as secondary to PTSD.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the initial onset and etiology of the Veteran's OSA, as well as whether his PTSD has caused or aggravated his OSA. The Veteran is asked to provide records from prior service and post-service treatment for OSA.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence and need for further development, including obtaining private treatment records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions have been denied. The Board found no new and material evidence to reopen the claim of residuals of tonsillitis, as there is no indication that the Veteran currently has any residual symptoms from his service-connected tonsillitis.,Service connection for tinnitus was also denied due to a lack of current evidence linking the condition to service or a service-connected disability. The Board found no new and material evidence to reopen this claim.

The appeal for a compensable disability rating for service-connected internal or external hemorrhoids, status post cryosurgery is dismissed. The appeals for PTSD and bilateral sensorineural hearing loss are remanded. The appeal for an acne condition is also remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD due to the reversal of a previous final denial on the basis of clear and unmistakable error (CUE). The original decision denied PTSD because there was no verified stressor, but new evidence showed that the Veteran had experienced a motorcycle accident in-service which could be considered as a verified stressor.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted. High blood pressure, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including depressive disorder, schizophrenia, anxiety neurosis, and PTSD), coronary artery disease status post coronary artery bypass, and colon cancer are all found to be related to service or presumptively due to exposure to herbicide agents.

The Board denied service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) as secondary to PTSD and denied a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the cases of entitlement to a rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD and entitlement to a TDIU due to the need for further development, including new examinations and opinions.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to incomplete records and failure to readjudicate the claims in accordance with previous directives.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is granted as service-connected, and an initial rating of 70 percent for PTSD prior to April 3, 2012 and in excess of 50 percent thereafter is granted. The issue of entitlement to TDIU is remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, as there was no credible evidence to support a link between his current condition and his military service.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims, including obtaining medical opinions regarding the etiology of his back disability and foot disabilities.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 100 percent since February 27, 2013. The Board found that the Veteran’s symptoms have caused total occupational and social impairment throughout his treatment.