PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2020

The Veteran's service connection claim for a heart condition is denied. The Board found that the evidence does not support a finding of direct, secondary, or presumptive service connection for his heart condition. His PTSD rating from January 29, 2018 through July 1, 2018 remains at 70 percent.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient examination and opinion regarding the service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD. The examiner is required to reconcile findings from previous examinations with a private medical opinion.

The Veteran is granted a 10 percent disability rating for bilateral hearing loss, effective from the date of decision. The Board also grants TDIU beginning January 30, 2014, but remands the issue of TDIU prior to that date on an extraschedular basis.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depressive disorder, due to new evidence submitted since August 2016. The claim is now remanded for further development.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for diabetes and diabetic neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities have been dismissed.,New evidence has reopened the claim of service connection for a right shoulder disorder, which is now remanded for further review.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD is remanded due to the need for a new examination as his symptoms have worsened. The current March 2013 VA examination does not represent the current severity of his service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, and the Board denied a rating in excess of this. The TDIU claim was also denied as her service-connected disabilities do not preclude her from securing or maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has dismissed the appeals as to issues of effective dates and ratings for PTSD, right groin gunshot wound, and housebound compensation. The case is REMANDED for further development.

The Board has remanded the case for a VA examination to determine if any diagnosed acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is related to the Veteran's fear of hostile military activity while stationed in Southwest Asia from September 1990 to April 1991. The examiner should also assess whether these disorders are caused or worsened by service-connected lumbar spine and/or peripheral neuropathy disabilities.

The Veteran's PTSD has been productive of total occupational and social impairment throughout the appeal period, warranting a 100% rating from January 4, 2012 to May 2, 2019.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent effective from June 2, 2017. The appeal for a higher rating and TDIU remains pending.

The Veteran's PTSD has been granted a 50% rating, but his DDD of the lumbosacral spine and residuals of TBI remain under review for increased ratings. The TDIU claim is also pending.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings for PTSD, low back disability, and obstructive sleep apnea need to be reconsidered due to new evidence.

The Board denied a request for an earlier effective date for service connection of PTSD, finding that the earliest possible effective date is February 24, 2016.

The Veteran's appeal for an initial compensable rating for migraine headaches was dismissed. The claims of service connection for a right knee disorder and an acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD and MDD) were granted, with the latter being reopened based on new evidence. The claim for allergic rhinitis is remanded, as is the claim for a right knee disorder secondary to a left knee disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient reasoning in its January 2019 decision and the need for a new VA examination.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including major depression, personality disorder, and PTSD, is remanded due to the need for additional VA treatment records and stressor development.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD, depressive disorder, and insomnia were denied as there was no current diagnosis of these conditions under the required DSM-V criteria. The Board found that the Veteran did not have a qualifying diagnosis of PTSD due to lack of service treatment records showing such a condition.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to July 25, 2013 for posttraumatic stress disorder is denied.,Service connection for right ear hearing loss has been granted. The Veteran's pre-service right ear hearing loss was aggravated by service.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher initial disability rating for PTSD is denied. The Board also found that the Veteran’s claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of PTSD must be remanded.