PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the case due to the Veteran's failure to appear for a VA examination and issues related to his address of record. The claim will be reconsidered after scheduling an appropriate examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions and the need for additional treatment records. The Veteran's claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, is pending.

The Board has remanded the claims for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for healed partial ACL tear of the right knee with arthritis and for an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for PTSD due to additional development being required.

The Veteran's death was caused by using difluoroethane to self-medicate his service-connected PTSD. The Board granted service connection for the cause of death, finding that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether the cause of death is related to service.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and Alcohol Use Disorder due to the need for additional development of evidence, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and conducting a VA examination.

The Board has determined that there was no substantial compliance with the April 2019 Board remand directives and has therefore ordered further development to be conducted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for lower extremity disorders due to insufficient evidence. The current ratings for PTSD and degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine remain unchanged.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for brain disease due to trauma, PTSD, major depressive disorder, shoulder pain, bilateral knee condition, emphysema with asthma, and sleep apnea have been remanded by the Board.,The appeals are currently pending before the Board.

The Veteran's PTSD has been granted a 100 percent disability rating throughout the appeal period, as it results in total occupational and social impairment.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected. The claims for bilateral hearing loss and PTSD are remanded due to the need for additional evidence.

The Veteran's application to reopen his service-connection claim for PTSD is granted. The Board has also remanded the issues of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability and total disability due to individual unemployability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is related to his service-connected PTSD and has granted service connection for this condition on a secondary basis.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to his service-connected PTSD, finding that there was no evidence of actual aggravation of the sleep apnea beyond its natural progression.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 70 percent, but the Board denied a higher rating and TDIU due to insufficient evidence of total occupational and social impairment.

The Veteran's PTSD and dysthymia resulted in occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas, such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood. The Board found that the severity of his disability did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at a 30 percent since February 2014, and the Board finds that his symptoms do not warrant an increase to a higher rating.

The Board has denied the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date for PTSD service connection, and has remanded to determine if there was clear and unmistakable error in a January 2009 rating decision.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence for service connection of PTSD and unspecified anxiety disorder. The Veteran's claims are being reviewed again with a new VA examination.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to inadequate medical opinions and need for additional evidence in several areas, including PTSD severity since January 2010, TDIU prior to February 26, 2013, and SMC based on aid and attendance needs.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to ensure adequate compliance with its prior directives regarding the Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD and depression.