PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient rationale in the VA examination reports and conflicting opinions. The Veteran's back problems, left and right lumbar radiculopathies, and PTSD with alcohol use disorder are all being reviewed again.

The Board has decided that the Veteran does not have a current hearing loss disability and denied service connection for this condition. The cases of acquired psychiatric, cervical spine, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and traumatic brain injury are remanded due to incomplete or inadequate examinations.

The Veteran's petition to reopen claims for tinnitus, residuals of right-shoulder rotator cuff surgery, and left shoulder condition were granted. Claims for disorder manifested by sleep issues, hypertension, radiculopathy of the LLE, radiculopathy of the RLE, lumbosacral strain, degenerative arthritis, and spinal stenosis, as well as PTSD, are denied.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 30 percent for anxiety disorder has been denied.,The Veteran's claim for TDIU has also been denied due to the lack of cooperation in submitting necessary forms.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to conflicting medical opinions and missing records. The Veteran is also being asked to undergo a new VA examination for his acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and major depressive disorder.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD due to military sexual trauma (MST) based on the Veteran's credible reports and medical evidence linking his current diagnosis to his in-service stressor.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD, finding that the Veteran's PTSD is likely due to combat experiences during his Vietnam War service.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD prevented him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation, as determined by the Board.

The Veteran's PTSD was rated at 70 percent disabling from March 1, 1989 to July 26, 1994. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for a higher rating as his symptoms were not so severe as to warrant a 100 percent evaluation. For TDIU, the Veteran's service-connected PTSD was rated at 70 percent disabling during the relevant period and he had other disabilities (not specified in the provided text), which did not bring his combined disability rating to at least 70 percent. The Board denied both claims.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of TBI and PTSD with TBI, as these issues have been fully addressed by a prior rating decision.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for anxiety, depressive disorder, and PTSD have been dismissed. The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the LLE and RLE as due to residuals of a cold weather injury.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings due to conflicting medical evidence and a need for further evaluation. The issues include PTSD, CAD, bilateral hearing loss, and TDIU.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence to establish a service connection for PTSD and depression. The Veteran's claims are reopened based on new evidence, but further evaluation is needed.

The Veteran's cause of death was not related to service-connected conditions, and his PTSD did not result in total occupational and social impairment. The Board denied the claims for accrued benefits purposes and DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1318.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD with depressive disorder is rated at 70 percent and the Board has determined that he is unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment due to his disability, granting a TDIU rating.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development and evaluation of his service-connected conditions, including PTSD, cervical strain, peripheral neuropathy, TBI, left knee strain, instability, and ED.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, due to a lack of evidence showing that his claimed stressors occurred during active duty or that he developed any diagnosed psychiatric disabilities as a result of his military service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD. The decision is based on new evidence showing that the Veteran's current PTSD is related to his fear of hostile military or terrorist activity during his service in Southwest Asia.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD and GAD, are related to service and the Board has granted service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining his complete service personnel records and conducting stressor development. The case will also be reviewed to determine if the Veteran has a current psychiatric disorder due to service.