PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2020

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is found to render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, meeting the criteria for a TDIU rating.

The Board dismissed all appeals seeking service connection for various conditions, including heart disorder, liver disorder, and psychiatric disorders. The appeals were dismissed due to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70% since October 2005, effective from an earlier date. He also receives a TDIU (total disability rating based on individual unemployability) since October 2005.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of various conditions, including PTSD, back disorder, shoulder and knee disorders, GERD, skin condition, neck disorder, and allergic rhinitis were denied as they are not related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for left knee disability, back disability, headaches secondary to PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and sleep apnea is not reopened. The Veteran's PTSD has been granted a 70% rating effective from February 8, 2018. An earlier effective date for the increased PTSD rating cannot be established.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD and major depressive disorder was granted. The claims for diverticulitis and bladder cancer were remanded.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for erectile dysfunction due to new and material evidence. The claims of entitlement to effective dates prior to July 19, 2014 for acquired psychiatric disorder, left hip bursitis, and hypertension are denied as they do not meet the criteria.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure and follow any substantially gainful employment since September 27, 2012. Effective as of that date, he is granted a TDIU and basic eligibility for DEA benefits.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence to verify the Veteran's claimed in-service stressors for PTSD. The claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD is also being remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation for the time period from March 22, 2010, to March 14, 2012.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for multiple sclerosis, PTSD, peripheral neuropathy, neurogenic bladder, and depressive disorder have been reopened. The new evidence supports the reopening of these claims.,Service connection has not been established for hypertension, erectile dysfunction, or sleep apnea.

The Veteran's PTSD did not result in total occupational and social impairment prior to September 20, 2019. The Veteran is currently employed full-time with the United States Postal Service (USPS) in a supervisory capacity and was so employed during the relevant period.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for diabetes mellitus, type II and PTSD were denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for a higher rating based on his diabetes mellitus, type II or PTSD.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and to consider whether the TDIU claim should be referred for extraschedular consideration prior to October 18, 2019.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD with unspecified schizophrenia and other psychotic disorder is rated at 100 percent from January 14, 2005 to December 11, 2019.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for further development, including an addendum opinion from a clinician regarding whether evidence indicates a personal assault occurred during service and if any PTSD is related to that event.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD warrants a 70 percent disability rating throughout the appeals period, reflecting significant occupational and social impairment.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability from January 15, 2013 to November 15, 2018 due to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 70 percent since March 7, 2015. The Board found that the evidence was in equipoise regarding whether a higher rating was warranted during this period.

The appeal for an initial rating higher than 70 percent for PTSD is dismissed due to the appellant's death.