PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2020

The Board denied attorney fees for past-due benefits from the July 2019 TDIU grant due to a lack of timely notice of disagreement (NOD) on the issue.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 30 percent, but the Board has now granted a 70 percent rating based on his symptoms of suicidal ideation and memory loss.

The Board has granted service connection for a left wrist disability and an increased rating to 50 percent for TBI with PTSD.

The Board has remanded the case for a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD and adjustment disorder with depression and anxiety disorder, are related to his active service.

The Veteran's PTSD has been granted service connection, but the claim for an increased rating remains pending.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for erectile dysfunction has been reopened, but the appeal is remanded for further development. The Veteran's PTSD rating remains in dispute and a new VA examination is needed. A TDIU application is also required.

The Board has determined that the Veteran was unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected PTSD as of April 2, 2006. Therefore, an effective date of April 2, 2006 is granted for the grant of TDIU.

The Veteran is granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to his service-connected disabilities, effective March 31, 2009.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities, finding that he meets the schedular criteria but is not precluded from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms have not resulted in total occupational and social impairment, thus the claim for a higher rating is denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional medical records and further evaluation of the Veteran's PTSD with agoraphobia.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's TDIU claim should be remanded for further development, including referral to the Director of Compensation and Pension Service for extraschedular consideration. The issues include determining whether the Veteran is unemployable due to service-connected disabilities prior to July 29, 2016.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent prior to July 7, 2014. The Board has denied an increase in excess of 50 percent beginning July 7, 2014 and remanded the issue of entitlement to a higher rating prior to that date. Additionally, the Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded for additional development.

Service connection for tinnitus is granted as the Veteran's lay testimony supports a finding that his tinnitus began during service and has continued to present day.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, is denied as there is no current diagnosis of such condition.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD and major depressive disorder, finding that these conditions are related to the Veteran's in-service funeral detail.

The Board denied the claims of service connection for residuals of TBI and an acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD and depression) due to lack of credible evidence supporting the claimed in-service events.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's in-service sexual assault and harassment, as well as her reduction in rank following the incident. The VA is instructed to obtain service records of relevant personnel and provide a comprehensive mental health examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and Depressive Disorder due to insufficient evidence, including a lack of nexus opinions and an inadequate review of VA medical records. The case is returned for further development.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on the issues of low back disability, asthma, neck disability, eye disability (including amblyopia, blurred vision, and vision loss), diabetes, acquired psychiatric disorder (to include posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, personality disorder, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)), and left ankle disability have been remanded. The appeals for service connection on the issues of chest disability, residuals of a head injury, and sleep disorder were dismissed due to withdrawal by the Veteran.

The Veteran's claim for PTSD with memory loss is granted. The claims for diabetes mellitus II, left and right lower peripheral neuropathy, sleep apnea syndromes, hypertension, COPD, and GERD are denied.