PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2021

The Veteran's PTSD is found to be aggravated by his service-connected orthopedic disabilities, and the claim for secondary service connection is granted.

The Veteran's PTSD and associated psychiatric conditions are rated at 70 percent since September 9, 2020. The claim for service connection for fibromyalgia is remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is granted. The issues of entitlement to a compensable rating for malaria, service connection for TBI and/or residuals thereof, scars on the brain, and seizure disorder are remanded due to open medical questions.

The Board has granted service connection for erectile dysfunction and awarded special monthly compensation based on loss of use of a creative organ due to the Veteran's service-connected PTSD.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a TDIU on an extraschedular basis prior to March 30, 2016, finding that his service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension due to herbicide exposure and denied a higher rating for PTSD prior to April 3, 2019. The Veteran's hypertension was not related to his military service, as there is no evidence of hypertension during or within one year after discharge. For PTSD, the Board found that the current level of disability did not warrant a higher rating.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss, PTSD, and neck disability are denied. The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for PTSD prior to February 2, 2018 is remanded. The Veteran's claims for an increased rating for neck disability prior to August 21, 2020 and a compensable rating for GERD with hiatal hernia prior to August 21, 2020 are also remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for depression is granted. The claim for service connection for PTSD is denied due to lack of credible supporting evidence for the claimed in-service stressors.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for PTSD and for an earlier effective date for TDIU prior to September 10, 2018 due to issues with the qualifications of VA examiners and referral to the Under Secretary for Benefits or the Director of Compensation and Pension Service.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluation of left foot condition, service connection for right foot fracture and acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD and major depressive disorder) are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and opinions.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability is rated at 30 percent, effective May 19, 2010. The combined evaluation for his service-connected disabilities (Pseudofolliculitis, Cardiomegaly, PTSD, and Right Shoulder Disability) was granted at 60 percent from April 16, 2009 to August 12, 2009.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted as service-connected and aggravated by his diabetic nephropathy. The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating in excess of 70% for PTSD has been withdrawn. Issues related to a left thigh skin disability, PFB, bilateral hearing loss, CAD, right knee strain with instability, cortical cataracts, SMC based on loss of use, and TDIU prior to March 9, 2006 are all remanded.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent since August 17, 2015. The Board denied an increase in the rating for PTSD as it did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination reports and new evidence. The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, but a higher rating may be warranted based on additional symptoms.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including for chemical poisoning, anxiety and PTSD, heart attack and a heart stent, hypertension, prostate cancer, low back injury with posttraumatic degenerative changes, left lower extremity radiculopathy, irritant dermatitis, gout in the right foot, and left shoulder acromioclavicular separation status post-operative. The Veteran is not service-connected for any of these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and assigned a 100% disability rating, effective October 1977. The PTSD is considered to be directly related to an in-service psychological stressor.

The Veteran's PTSD claim is denied, but he was granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD and substance abuse as secondary to his service-connected psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service-connected PTSD with depression and anxiety is denied because the earliest claim was received on March 4, 2013.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of PTSD is granted as the evidence supports a diagnosis and an in-service stressor, with a link between them.

The Board has denied an increased rating for PTSD and has remanded the issue of entitlement to a TDIU due to service-connected disabilities.