PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding the onset and etiology of various disabilities, including left shoulder, right elbow, bilateral eye, respiratory, neurological, back, knee, leg, psychiatric, and gastrointestinal disabilities. The Veteran is requested to provide authorization for VA to obtain relevant private treatment records and undergo appropriate examinations.

The Board has granted a 70 percent disability rating for PTSD prior to April 11, 2018 and denied a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD from April 11, 2018. The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated as 50 percent disabling.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for higher ratings for his bilateral hearing loss and remanded the service connection claims. The case is now pending again with additional development required.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and unspecified anxiety disorder, is related to his service due to combat exposure during the Gulf War. As a result, the claim for service connection is granted.

The Board has remanded the claims of bilateral hearing loss and an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD. The Veteran is required to undergo VA examinations for these issues.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, a gunshot wound to the right thigh, and bronchial asthma, render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to his mental impairments.

The appeal to reopen a claim of service connection for a psychiatric disability is granted. The issues of service connection for osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, and headaches are remanded.

The Board is remanding both issues related to the Veteran's PTSD and depression, including a request for new evidence to reopen the depression claim.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, and for an umbilical hernia. The decision found that there was no current diagnosis of PTSD or umbilical hernia, and thus, service connection could not be established.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 30 percent since February 9, 2007. The Board granted a 70 percent rating for the entire appeal period, effective from when the evidence shows his mental health condition consistently manifested by suicidal ideation, near continuous panic or depression, sleep disturbance, impaired impulse control, and difficulty establishing effective work and social relationships.

The Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as PTSD) and a headache disability is denied. The effective date for the grant of a 50 percent rating for the headache disability is denied.

The Veteran's PTSD with MDD is related to his military service and the Board has granted service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for a higher initial rating of 70 percent for PTSD is granted. The claim for service connection for dermatitis, due to exposures associated with Southwest Asia service, is denied. The claim for TDIU is also denied.

The claim to reopen service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, PTSD, bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus is granted. The claims for service connection for a low back disorder are remanded.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, the highest available rating under the General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders. This reflects significant occupational and social impairment.

The Board has determined that there was not substantial compliance with its prior remand and thus the appeal must be remanded again. The main issues are to determine if the Veteran's death was caused by his service-connected PTSD, or if it was aggravated beyond natural progression.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, major depressive disorder, and PTSD due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's service connection claim for a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD. The Veteran is not currently service-connected for any disability.

The Veteran's PTSD was rated at various levels from March 8, 2012 to October 28, 2019. The claims for increased ratings were denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, thus the Board has granted entitlement to total disability based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU).