PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination to determine if there is a link between the Veteran's current psychiatric, sleep apnea, and left ankle conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's PTSD, tinnitus, and back disability have been granted service connection. A TDIU has also been awarded effective from August 20, 2014.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his PTSD was denied as the evidence did not show an increase in severity during the one-year period prior to receipt of the increased rating claim.

The Veteran's service connection for PTSD is granted due to an in-service personal assault, and the Board finds that there is at least equipoise evidence supporting this claim.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's claimed in-service stressors and a need for further examination to determine if his acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is related to his time on active service.

The Veteran's increased rating claims for sleep apnea, PTSD including depression, and GERD have been denied. The Veteran was not granted any increase in ratings during the period of appeal.,For the period prior to April 3, 2015, the Veteran’s sleep apnea did not require a breathing assistance device such as CPAP, thus preventing him from receiving a higher rating.

The Board has granted an earlier effective date of January 15, 1981 for the award of service connection for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder on the basis of clear and unmistakable error in a prior final rating decision.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD with anxiety due to military sexual trauma, depression, and insomnia) require additional development. The TDIU claim is also remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the service connection issues.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 70 percent since March 8, 2018. The rating is granted for the period from that date to July 25, 2019.

The Veteran's claim for PTSD was granted with a 30% disability rating effective February 16, 2019. The Board has now awarded an earlier effective date of November 8, 2017.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD, blepharitis, tension headaches, hypertension, right shoulder condition, lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, and cervical spine degenerative disc disease are remanded due to a duty to assist error. The Board requires VA to obtain all outstanding treatment records from the San Juan VAMC and request relevant psychiatric treatment records from Dr. M.R.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, the maximum rating available. The Board found that his symptoms do not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating as he does not have total occupational and social impairment.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for PTSD is denied. The effective date will be fixed in accordance with the facts and shall not be earlier than the date of receipt of the intent to file.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 70 percent, but the Board finds that it does not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating as his symptoms do not demonstrate total occupational and social impairment.

The Veteran's Parkinson’s disease and Type 2 diabetes mellitus have been granted service connection due to presumed exposure near the DMZ in Korea. The Veteran also has a 50% rating for PTSD, but his peripheral neuropathy and diabetic retinopathy claims are denied.,PTSD is currently rated at 50%, reflecting occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD resulting from military sexual trauma (MST) is granted. The Board found the evidence sufficient to establish that the Veteran experienced MST during her active duty and linked her current mental health symptoms to these events.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and an acquired psychiatric disorder, other than PTSD due to a lack of a VA examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, as there is no competent evidence of a current diagnosis or a link to in-service stressors.

The Veteran's PTSD resulted in occupational and social impairment, warranting a 70% rating since April 17, 2015. The maximum schedular evaluation has been granted.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for hypertension is denied as the evidence does not show that his diastolic pressure has been predominantly 110 mm/Hg or more, or systolic pressure has been predominantly 200 mm/Hg or more at any point during the appeal period.