PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2021

The Board has remanded the case due to duty-to-assist errors and a need for further examination. The Veteran's claim will be reconsidered with new evidence and an opinion on whether his acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is related to service.

The Veteran's PTSD rating and TDIU claim are being remanded due to the need for updated VA examinations, additional medical records from various providers, and association of scanned documents.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to March 29, 2013, for the grant of service connection of migraine headaches has been denied. The Veteran is currently rated at 50 percent for her migraines.,The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for her service-connected migraine headaches remains denied as there are no additional symptoms or residuals that would warrant a higher rating under the applicable criteria.,The Veteran's claim for service connection of viral meningitis has been denied due to lack of evidence of a present disability and insufficient evidence linking any in-service incident to current symptoms.,The Veteran's claim for service connection of her left hand disability (claimed as a pinched nerve) remains pending, with the issue remanded.,The Veteran's claim for service connection of bilateral plantar fasciitis has been granted.,The Veteran's claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disability (PTSD) is remanded.,The Veteran's claims for left shoulder and cervical spine disabilities are both pending, with the issues remanded.,The Veteran's claim for service connection of her left elbow injury (claimed as a pinched nerve) remains pending, with the issue remanded.,The Veteran's claim for service connection of peripheral enthesopathy (claimed as shin pain) is pending and has been remanded.,The Veteran's claim for service connection of polyuria is pending and has been remanded.,The Veteran's claims for service connection of her lumbar spine disability, skin condition (claimed as tinea pedis and toenail fungus), and skin condition (claimed as acne) are all pending and have been remanded.

The Veteran's right ankle sprain is rated at 10 percent, and the Board found that a higher rating was not warranted.,For PTSD prior to November 22, 2019, the Veteran is granted an initial 70 percent rating. For PTSD thereafter, the claim for a higher rating is denied.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development and evaluation of the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, specifically whether they can be classified as residuals of organic disease or injury, and their impact on locomotion.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's previously denied claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, and diabetes mellitus. The claim for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities is also remanded due to lack of current diagnoses.

The Veteran was granted a higher initial disability rating of 100 percent for PTSD, the maximum schedular rating.,An effective date prior to July 3, 2017, for service connection of PTSD is denied.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development to determine his employment status and eligibility for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 50% prior to February 21, 2019 and 100% thereafter. The appeal for TDIU prior to February 21, 2019 is remanded.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD. The Board dismissed the case as a result.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (PTSD, diabetes mellitus, and tinnitus) do not prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for depression was reopened, and he is now granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder including PTSD and depression. A 30 percent rating is granted for Meniere's disease since October 2, 2009, with a separate 20 percent rating for nausea and vomiting due to Meniere's disease.

The Veteran's appeal regarding a disability rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD is being remanded due to the need for an examination.,The issue of entitlement to TDIU based on service-connected disabilities is also being remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the PTSD rating issue.

The Veteran requested to withdraw his appeal for an increased rating of PTSD, and the Board has dismissed the case as a result.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to failure to notify him of scheduled VA examinations and his homelessness. The cases are now returned to the RO for further action.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU prior to October 5, 2017 is being remanded due to the need to obtain relevant medical records and Social Security Administration (SSA) records.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was granted with an effective date of March 3, 1975.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing and following substantially gainful employment prior to January 7, 2019.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, alone, do not preclude all substantially gainful employment for which his education and occupational experience would otherwise qualify him. The Board denied the claim of entitlement to a total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD and depression is remanded due to the need for a VA examination.