PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2021

The Board has decided the claim is remanded due to inadequate medical opinion and needs further development, including a psychiatric examination.

The Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for gall bladder removal with gangrene, to include secondary conditions of liver and genitourinary disabilities, pancreatitis; acquired psychiatric disability (PTSD); and, hernia/scars of the abdomen based on treatment at VA Medical Centers in Ann Arbor and Detroit, Michigan is denied due to lack of evidence showing negligence or carelessness by VA.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, CAD, and thoracolumbar spine strain, render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for her service-connected PTSD is dismissed as a free-standing claim, which is not permissible due to the finality of previous rating decisions.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate consideration of the Veteran's reported in-service personal assaults and other evidence, including a private PTSD evaluation. The Veteran is requested to provide additional evidence or inform VA about potential sources of such evidence.

The Veteran's service connection claim for coronary artery disease is granted. The claims for acquired psychiatric disorder, kidney cancer, and skin cancer are remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete development, including a need for an examination and completion of VA Form 21-8940. The Veteran's TDIU claim will be reconsidered after these steps are completed.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including psychosis NOS, depression with psychotic features, PTSD, and schizophrenia. The effective date of the grant is not specified in this decision.

The Board has dismissed the claims for bilateral pes planus, bilateral hearing loss, and bilateral tinnitus. The remaining issues of service connection for PTSD as a result of MST, bilateral shoulder condition, back condition, neck condition, and jaw condition are remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for arthritis, PTSD, and right shoulder disability due to incomplete records and need for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's claims for an increased rating for PTSD and TDIU are remanded due to the need for updated medical records and a VA examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for right hip pain, restless leg syndrome, intrascapular pain, high blood pressure, and sleep apnea associated with post-traumatic stress disorder with depressive disorder and insomnia disorder due to additional evidence received after the April 2014 SOC.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a bilateral eye disability has been withdrawn and is dismissed.,Service connection granted for tinnitus, with the condition onset in service.,Service connection denied for left knee strain as it did not onset in service and is not causally related to his service.,Remanded for further examination and opinion regarding obstructive sleep apnea.,Remanded for further examination and opinion regarding an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and unspecified anxiety disorder).,Remanded for further examination and opinion regarding a bilateral hearing loss disability.,Remanded for further examination and opinion regarding a lumbar spine disability.,Remanded for new VA examination to assess the nature and severity of functional diarrhea since January 2016.,Remanded for new VA examination to evaluate the nature and severity of residuals of left shoulder dislocation.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, diabetes mellitus with erectile dysfunction, and shell fragment wound of the right deltoid muscle, rendered him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment prior to November 27, 2015.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is denied as there is no current diagnosis of PTSD.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's sleep apnea is secondary to his service-connected diabetes and/or PTSD, as well as whether it is aggravated by these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for PTSD are being remanded due to incomplete treatment records from the Springfield Vet Center.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a TDIU on an extraschedular basis prior to November 21, 2011, finding that his service-connected disabilities did not preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Court ruled that the reduction in PTSD rating from 70% to 50% was improper, and ordered a reinstatement of the 70% rating effective June 1, 2016.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based upon unemployability due to service-connected disabilities prior to December 21, 2012. The evidence did not show that his service-connected conditions rendered him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment.