PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2020

The Veteran's PTSD is rated as 30 percent prior to March 1, 2016; 50 percent from March 1, 2016, to March 23, 2020; and 70 percent thereafter. The Board denied all requests for higher ratings.

The Veteran's PTSD and depressive disorder are currently rated at 50% prior to April 4, 2017, and 70% thereafter. The right knee DJD is rated at 10%, with separate ratings for locking (20%) and lateral instability (10%).

The Veteran's PTSD is granted as it meets the criteria for service connection, with a diagnosis linked to his fear of hostile military or terrorist activity during service.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is granted a 70 percent evaluation, and his diabetes mellitus with erectile dysfunction is denied. The Veteran also receives a TDIU.

The Board granted a 70 percent rating for PTSD prior to January 30, 2009 and denied any higher ratings or a rating in excess of 30 percent prior to that date.

The Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date and TDIU have been dismissed as the appeal is not about service connection at all, but rather challenges the effective date of a disability rating.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the spine is granted. The Board finds that remand is necessary to address his claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and unspecified anxiety disorder.

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms, including poor impulse control and suicidal thoughts, most closely approximate a 70 percent rating. The Board granted the Veteran a 70 percent evaluation for PTSD effective January 23, 2017. However, the Veteran does not meet the criteria for TDIU as his service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing or maintaining a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was granted with an effective date of December 17, 2019. The Board found that the Veteran continuously pursued his claim after submitting a supplemental claim in December 2019 and established entitlement to service connection by at least December 17, 2019.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 70 percent, and the Board has determined that a higher rating in excess of 70 percent is not warranted. The Veteran also seeks TDIU based on her service-connected PTSD, but the Board found that she does not meet the criteria for such an award.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD, finding that the Veteran's symptoms more closely approximate a 50 percent rating.

The Veteran was granted a TDIU effective September 16, 2015. His PTSD is rated at 100% since March 30, 2016.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of PTSD with sleep disturbances is denied as the earliest date entitlement arose was January 3, 2019.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to incomplete personnel records and inconsistencies in his statements regarding the onset of various conditions. The issues will be reconsidered after obtaining all available service records.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for coronary artery disease and PTSD, as well as service connection for bilateral pes planus, were dismissed. The Board also remanded several other issues including hearing loss, sleep disorder, head condition, right shoulder condition, left shoulder condition, chronic low back condition, right hip condition, left hip condition, right knee condition, and left knee condition.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient efforts in verifying the Veteran's claimed in-service stressor event for PTSD. The Veteran must provide assistance and any new information, and the AOJ should send a request to the Commandant of Marine Corps.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection of PTSD, Major Depression, and Traumatic Brain Injury with Memory Loss.

The Board has denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD. The claims for emphysema and sleep apnea are remanded due to inadequate medical opinions. The claim for neuropathy of the lower extremities is also remanded as there is insufficient evidence regarding presumptive exposure.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment since December 1, 2009. The Board has granted a total disability rating based on unemployability (TDIU) for this period.