PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for additional medical examination and evaluation of the Veteran's service-connected disabilities prior to December 6, 2012.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for PTSD with alcohol use disorder and TBI was denied. The Board found that the disability did not meet or approximate criteria warranting a higher rating.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to December 3, 2019.,From December 3, 2019, the claim for TDIU is moot as the Veteran is in receipt of the maximum allowable benefit.

The Veteran's appeal for higher initial ratings on PTSD with mood disorder, right knee strain with arthritis, and right ear hearing loss is remanded due to procedural defects.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's claimed psychiatric disorders, including PTSD and bipolar disorder. The Veteran must be provided with a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his diagnosed conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient compliance with previous instructions, and a new psychiatric examination is needed to determine if PTSD or other acquired psychiatric disorders are related to service.

The Veteran's PTSD with MDD symptoms began in March 2007, the date of his initial claim. The Board granted an effective date of March 16, 2007 for service connection.

The Veteran's tinnitus was granted service connection. Service connection for PTSD, low back disability, and sleep apnea was denied due to lack of a confirmed in-service stressor or relationship to service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's PTSD with obsessive compulsive disorder, major depressive disorder, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is rated at 70 percent, but no higher. The decision also denied the claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 70 percent since July 7, 2017. The Board found that the symptoms warrant this rating.,For the period prior to July 7, 2017, the Veteran’s PTSD did not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher disability evaluation.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent prior to August 18, 2015 and from that date. His degenerative arthritis of the right knee is rated at 10 percent. Right knee instability was not found to warrant a higher rating.

The Veteran's TDIU claim for service-connected disabilities prior to January 19, 2011 was denied as the evidence did not show that his service-connected conditions prevented him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient reasons in its January 2019 decision regarding service connection for sleep apnea, which is now being reviewed with an independent medical expert.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened and are being remanded due to the need for additional development.,The Veteran is seeking service connection for PTSD, hypertension, a heart condition, and a lower back disability. The claims are currently in remand status.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for psychiatric disorders, sleep disorders, and musculoskeletal conditions have been denied. The Board found no evidence of a current disability related to the claimed in-service events or exposures.

The Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected PTSD was denied as the evidence did not show that his PTSD alone rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and the need for a VA examination. The Veteran is seeking service connection for PTSD, which may encompass all diagnosed psychiatric disorders.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD is being remanded due to the need for further evidentiary development, specifically obtaining treatment records from the Bellingham Vet Center.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection have been denied as his conditions do not meet the required criteria, and there is no new and material evidence to reopen his claim of prostate cancer.

The Veteran's PTSD with depression has not manifested as total occupational and social impairment, but the Board finds that his disability does not warrant a higher initial rating than 70 percent.