PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded both issues for further development and to provide the Veteran with adequate VA medical opinions regarding his claimed psychiatric disorders and sexual dysfunction condition.

The Veteran's PTSD has been granted service connection, but an initial rating greater than 30 percent for cervical strain and a prior effective date are denied.,The Veteran is now service connected for PTSD and the Board will consider his claim of entitlement to TDIU.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 50 percent from April 5, 2018. The appeal for a higher rating or an earlier effective date was granted.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was rated as noncompensable, with no evidence of symptoms warranting a higher rating.,The Veteran's IBS was rated at 30 percent, and the Board found that this was the maximum schedular evaluation under Diagnostic Code 7319. No higher rating is available based on other diagnostic codes.,PTSD was rated at 50 percent, with no evidence of symptoms warranting a higher rating under any applicable criteria.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 70 percent, but the Board finds that it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating as his symptoms do not cause total occupational and social impairment.

The Veteran's claims for a higher rating for PTSD, temporary total ratings based on hospitalization due to PTSD, and TDIU are being remanded as the evidence is insufficient to make an informed decision.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, particularly his degenerative disc disease and related conditions, rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board found that the Veteran is unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and the need for additional development, including obtaining deck logs from the U.S. Navy ship USS Kitty Hawk and VA treatment records.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD with MDD and alcohol dependence is rated at 70 percent for the period prior to March 19, 2016, due to occupational and social impairment.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD and depressive disorder, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to her military sexual assault during active duty.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) prior to July 2, 2019. The Board found that the Veteran was not rendered incapable of participating in any substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities and past education and work experience.

The Veteran's PTSD has been granted an initial 100 percent rating since January 31, 2015 and SMC pursuant to 38 U.S.C. § 1114(s) for the entire claim period.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected PTSD aggravated his sleep apnea, and therefore grants service connection for sleep apnea on a secondary basis.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of PTSD, finding that there was no evidence of a prior claim filed before October 25, 2000.

The Veteran's psychiatric disability (PTSD) is granted as service-connected. The skin, hemorrhoids, and undiagnosed illness claims are remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has remanded the issue of entitlement to a Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities, as it is related to the reduction in ratings for right and left cubital tunnel syndromes. The Veteran's Social Security Administration (SSA) disability benefits are also under review.

The Veteran's TDIU claim was denied because the evidence did not show that his service-connected disabilities prevented him from securing and following any substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's service connection claim for chronic fatigue syndrome was denied. The Veteran's PTSD rating prior to February 3, 2014, and his PTSD rating thereafter were both denied. The Veteran was granted a TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of timely substantive appeal for PTSD, but will reconsider the original claim. The Veteran's service records show he had anxiety and depression during his military service.

The Veteran's PTSD is being remanded for further review due to new VA treatment records, and a TDIU request is also being considered.