PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2020

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, peripheral neuropathy, diabetes, and bilateral hearing loss, render him unable to engage in substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted from April 4, 2012, to April 5, 2012, and from July 1, 2012, to October 19, 2013. The Board found that the service-connected disabilities rendered him unemployable during these periods.

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms have not been shown to be severe enough for a higher rating, and the current 50% rating remains appropriate.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient development of evidence, including a lack of VA examination for an acquired psychiatric disorder. The Veteran's reported stressor could not be verified.

The Veteran's service connection claims for a back disability, shrapnel in the left leg, asbestosis, and an acquired psychiatric disability (PTSD) are denied. The claim for residuals of shrapnel in the left leg is granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD due to a lack of verified in-service stressor and current disability, finding that his lay statements alone were not sufficient to establish the occurrence of the claimed in-service stressor.

The Veteran's PTSD is being remanded for additional development to obtain private treatment records related to his condition, including those submitted on or around December 22, 2019. The TDIU issue is also being remanded due to its intertwinement with the PTSD evaluation issue.

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms resulted in total occupational and social impairment throughout the appeal period, warranting a 100% disability rating for PTSD. SMC based on housebound status was granted from July 17, 2006. The claim of an earlier effective date for TDIU is dismissed as moot due to the Veteran's entitlement to SMC.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for PTSD has been dismissed due to his death.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to obtain substantially gainful employment during the periods of TDIU claims from July 29, 2013 to June 3, 2014, and from July 31, 2015 to October 18, 2016. From December 1, 2016 to March 1, 2017, the Veteran's combined disability rating was 90 percent, which rendered his TDIU claim moot due to the assignment of a 100 percent schedular rating.

The Board has granted the Veteran's petitions to reopen his claims for service connection of degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, status post left rotator cuff repair with partial tearing with degenerative changes and bursitis, sarcoidosis, diabetes mellitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder. The cases are remanded due to new evidence received since the last final rating decisions.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is rated at 50 percent, but not higher. The Board found that the symptoms did not meet the criteria for a higher rating as they did not include suicidal ideation or obsessive rituals.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted, and the VA has remanded several issues related to his health conditions.

The Veteran's claim for an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his epididymitis disability is denied.,The Veteran's claim for a higher evaluation (in excess of 30 percent) for his PTSD disability prior to July 24, 2012 is granted. However, the claim for a higher evaluation (in excess of 50 percent) for his PTSD disability beginning July 24, 2012 is denied.,The Veteran's claim for TDIU due to service-connected disabilities during the period on appeal prior to September 27, 2018 is denied.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and recurrent major depressive disorder, is rated at 70 percent from May 3, 2011 to the present. The Veteran also received a TDIU rating from May 31, 2013 to the present.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to uncertainty regarding the Veteran's reported traumatic event during service. The Veteran is seeking service connection for PTSD and Depression, which are currently considered related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment, as the VA medical opinions indicate he can maintain employment with some accommodations.

The Veteran's PTSD warrants an initial disability rating of 70 percent, but no more.

The Board has determined that the termination of TDIU, SMC, and DEA benefits was proper due to the Veteran's gainful employment after August 15, 2008.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at a 100 percent since the entire period on appeal, due to total occupational and social impairment.