PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2020

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD due to military sexual trauma, needs further examination and review. The decision is remanded because previous opinions are deemed inadequate.

The Veteran's PTSD and nonobstructive CAD claims are remanded for further action, including obtaining outstanding treatment records from the Trenton Vet Center.

The Board has denied service connection for PTSD and remanded the issues of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (other than PTSD) due to lack of a diagnosis of PTSD in accordance with DSM-IV or DSM-V criteria.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for PTSD, finding that the Veteran's claim was not based on newly received service records and that the relaxed evidentiary standards for in-service stressors related to fear of hostile military or terrorist activity did not apply to his initial claim. The appropriate effective date is June 19, 2007.

The Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance is being remanded due to the Board not adjudicating it in its January 2019 decision. The issue of SMC is intertwined with other claims, so they are all being remanded together.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was denied in April 2014 and May 2016. The appeal to reopen the claim was denied in May 2016, but a new claim was filed on August 27, 2018, which resulted in a grant of service connection effective that date.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD and CAD have rendered him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment, leading to the grant of TDIU and SMC at the housebound rate.

The Veteran's appeals for increased PTSD ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a new VA examination.

The Veteran's PTSD resulted in reduced reliability and productivity, warranting a 50% disability rating from December 18, 2017, to February 4, 2019. From February 5, 2019, the Veteran's PTSD results in deficiencies in most areas but not total impairment, warranting a 70% disability rating.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD should be remanded due to new evidence being added to the record since the last decision.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, and the Board has determined that a higher rating is not warranted based on his current symptoms.

The Veteran's appeal is for a higher initial evaluation of his PTSD. The case has been remanded due to the need to review all evidence since the October 2008 claim, including VA treatment records from June 2009 and April 2009.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for Erectile Dysfunction (ED) secondary to his service-connected Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), finding that ED did not manifest during active service and is not due to or aggravated by PTSD.

The Veteran's PTSD did not meet the criteria for a 100% evaluation as it caused significant social impairment, but not total social impairment. The Veteran was found to be totally occupationally impaired.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for psychiatric disabilities, including personality disorder, depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and cognitive disorder. The evidence did not establish a link between these conditions and service.

The Board has granted an earlier effective date of February 23, 2011 for the award of a 100 percent rating for service-connected PTSD.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a higher rating for PTSD and TDIU due to insufficient evidence regarding the severity of his PTSD symptoms, including suicidal ideation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and other conditions, have rendered him unemployable since December 2, 1996. The decision grants a TDIU on an extraschedular basis for this period.

The Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities prior to June 22, 2011 is being remanded. The Board notes that the RO did not return the extraschedular TDIU request to the Compensation Service for its retroactive review to March 2006 as instructed.

The Board has denied service connection for a disorder manifested by shortness of breath and remanded the issues regarding diabetes mellitus, PTSD, unspecified depressive disorder with anxiety disorder associated with PTSD, hypertension, neuropathy of the right lower extremity, and TDIU.