PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2020

The Board denied service connection for Meniere's disease as it is not secondary to service-connected hearing loss and tinnitus. The Veteran was granted TDIU on an extraschedular basis due to his PTSD, hearing loss, and tinnitus.

The Veteran's PTSD has been granted a 70 percent initial rating effective March 16, 2016. A TDIU was also granted effective from the same date.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's appeal for hypertension, diabetic retinopathy, type 2 diabetes with nephropathy, erectile dysfunction, and right lower extremity peripheral vascular disease, PTSD, and TDIU rating issues due to outstanding treatment records and need for medical opinions.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU prior to September 1, 2018 was denied as he did not meet the criteria for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability. The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his TBI residuals was also denied.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a psychiatric disability related to service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has granted a TDIU rating effective from April 22, 2009, due to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's appeal for higher staged disability ratings for PTSD has been dismissed due to his death.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings and effective dates related to his service-connected conditions was granted. Service connection for migraine headaches, hypertension, PTSD, folliculitis barbae, small sliding hiatal hernia with aphthous ulcers (claimed as GERD/stomach pains), and left hip strain with osteoarthritis were all established or maintained. Effective dates were set based on the date of claim or entitlement determination.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection on multiple conditions was denied due to the failure to timely file a Notice of Disagreement (NOD).

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding a claimed in-service stressor and the need for further examination to determine if any diagnosed psychiatric disorders are related to service.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for PTSD, a scar on the right ear, and right ear hearing loss are remanded due to new evidence of worsening symptoms.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him in need of regular aid and assistance, thus granting special monthly compensation based on the need for aid and attendance.

The Board has remanded the issues of entitlement to increased ratings for PTSD with TBI and MDD, as well as right ankle disability. The Veteran needs additional VA examinations to determine the current severity of his disabilities.

The Veteran's initial ratings for service-connected lumbar facet degeneration with sclerosis and DDD, left knee strain, bilateral hearing loss, PTSD, cervical spine (neck) disability with muscle spasms, left shoulder disability with nerve damage, and left hip disability have all been denied.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD, sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, joint swelling and stiffness, bilateral knee disability, back disability, chronic fatigue syndrome, asthma, and headaches are being remanded due to the need for additional evidence. The effective date of service connection for PTSD is set at November 1, 2010.

The Veteran's hypertension was granted service connection, effective October 13, 2016.,Claims for left knee disability, cervical spine disability, lumbar spine disability, and PTSD were also granted, but the effective date is set at October 13, 2016.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's claimed stressors and the need for a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any PTSD.

The claim for service connection for PTSD has been dismissed as the appellant withdrew the appeal within 60 days of the SSOC.,The claim for an increased rating for left knee disability was dismissed as the appellant withdrew the appeal within 60 days of the SSOC.,The claim for service connection for a right knee disability, secondary to the service-connected left knee disability, has been granted in full.

The Veteran's TDIU was granted effective November 21, 2014. His RLE radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve is rated at 20 percent since that date.

The Board finds the evidence insufficient to determine the cause of death and requires further development, including obtaining VA and private treatment records since August 2015. The August 2017 VA medical opinion is deemed inadequate due to lack of knowledge about PTSD and heart disease link.