PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2020

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, panic disorder, depression, agoraphobia, and generalized anxiety disorder, due to military sexual trauma in service is granted. The Board finds that the evidence supports a link between her MST and her diagnosed conditions.

The Veteran's insomnia is related to his service-connected PTSD, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render her unemployable, and the Board finds that TDIU is denied.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is found to be the cause of his obstructive sleep apnea.,PTSD and other specified depressive disorder are rated at 70%.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was reopened and granted. The Board also ordered a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any current psychiatric disability, including whether it is related to service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for cervical fusion, acquired psychiatric disorder, and TDIU due to incomplete development of records from the Tennessee Department of Labor.

The Veteran's request to reopen the claim for lumbar myofascitis with T9 hemangioma and chronic low back pain was denied. The claim for erectile dysfunction is also denied.,The Board has determined that there is no new and material evidence to reopen the claim of service connection for lumbar myofascitis with T9 hemangioma and chronic low back pain, as the evidence does not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim. The Veteran's erectile dysfunction claim was also denied.,The Board found that there is no nexus between the Veteran’s acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD) and his service.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional examinations and a retrospective medical opinion to assess the severity of his lower back disability prior to August 3, 2017. The issues of PTSD, GERD with hiatal hernia and IBS, allergic rhinitis, and bilateral pes planus with bilateral plantar fasciitis are also remanded for updated examinations.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and anxiety; service connection for herpes. The Veteran is to be afforded a VA examination to address these issues.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 100% effective May 13, 2013. The VA has determined that her service-connected PTSD causes total occupational and social impairment.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent prior to July 1, 2017. The Board has remanded both the increased rating claim and the TDIU claim due to new evidence and the need for additional development.

The Board denied the claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that there was no credible evidence supporting a link between the Veteran's reported personal assault during service and his current psychiatric condition.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims for service connection for duodenal and gastric ulcers, chronic B-12 deficiency with liver enzyme disorder, diabetes mellitus, an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as PTSD, schizoaffective mood disorder, bipolar type, and pain disorder due to psychological and general medical conditions), a skin disorder (recurring back cysts), fibromyalgia, hyperlipidemia, a neurological disorder (to include waist-down paralysis, seizures, blackouts, neuropathy, and Morton’s neuroma), arthritis, hypertension, a thyroglossal duct cyst, and T10-11 spinal osteophyte and degenerative disc disease with muscle pain spasm and lower back-leg weakness (thoracolumbar spine disorder).

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development to determine the severity of his service-connected knee and shoulder conditions, as well as his eligibility for TDIU.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and insomnia, finding that there is no current diagnosis of these conditions.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent prior to May 23, 2017 and 70 percent from that date. The Board has remanded the case for further development including obtaining Social Security Administration records.

The Veteran's appeal for a rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD and TDIU was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for PTSD, as it did not meet the criteria for a 70% evaluation due to occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas. For TDIU, the Veteran's combined disability rating of 60 percent did not meet the schedular requirements, and there was no exceptional or unusual circumstances warranting an extraschedular TDIU rating.

The appeal is dismissed for all issues except for entitlement to an increased evaluation for PTSD, service connection for a neck disorder, and TDIU. The issues of entitlement to an increased evaluation for PTSD, service connection for a neck disorder, and TDIU are remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's PTSD is at least as likely as not related to his military service, and therefore grants entitlement to service connection for PTSD.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating of PTSD was denied, and the TDIU claim is remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding his employability.