PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2021

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted based on the evidence of record.

The Board has granted service connection for migraine headaches and PTSD as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected migraine headaches.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and diabetes-related neuropathy, rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board granted the TDIU claim based on this finding.

The Board denied the Veteran's request for an effective date prior to August 25, 2008, for the grant of service connection for PTSD. The decision concluded that there was no clear and unmistakable error (CUE) in a May 2011 rating decision.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and examination to address issues related to PTSD, other specified depressive disorder, and alcohol use disorder prior to April 20, 2016, as well as TDIU.

The Veteran's PTSD, depressive disorder, and alcohol abuse have been productive of occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity. The Board found that the current rating of 70 percent adequately reflects his disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for bilateral eye disability as secondary to his service-connected disabilities, including type two diabetes mellitus, PTSD and coronary artery disease. The remand requires a new VA examination to address the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral eye disability.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD, finding that the Veteran experienced an in-service stressor and that his current PTSD is related to this event.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, depressive disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder due to new and material evidence. The Board found sufficient verification of a stressor involving witnessing his friend being shot in an outpost near base while hanging out.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for PTSD due to military sexual trauma with alcohol, cocaine, and opiate use (PTSD). The claim was filed on April 16, 2018, which is considered the effective date.

The Veteran's death was not service-connected, as the cause of death (acute myocardial infraction) is not related to his military service or any service-connected conditions.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate rationales in the medical opinions provided by the clinician. The Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as due to his service-connected PTSD is being sent back for further review.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence and the need for a VA examination. The Veteran's claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, anxiety, depression, and agoraphobia, is being reviewed.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to address the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and Depression, including providing notice regarding alternative sources of evidence for personal assault-related stressors and obtaining relevant treatment records. The Veteran will also be scheduled for a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any psychiatric disorder.

The Board denied the claim of service connection for cause of death due to lack of new and material evidence. The appeal for nonservice-connected burial expenses was also denied as it was filed beyond the two-year deadline.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, needs more information and is therefore being sent back for further development.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for PTSD and other acquired psychiatric disorders not already service connected due to inadequate opinions in a previous VA examination. The case will be returned for further development, including obtaining additional medical records and an addendum opinion from a VA clinician.

The Veteran's PTSD is being remanded for further evaluation due to the need for updated medical records and a new examination.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 70 percent, and the Board has remanded both his claim for a higher rating and his TDIU claim due to the possibility of additional impairment.

The Veteran's claim for PTSD service connection was granted effective March 11, 2019. A TDIU rating was granted effective January 8, 2019. The compensable rating for erectile dysfunction remains denied.