PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2021

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for right and left knee disabilities, as well as PTSD due to incomplete records and need for further examination.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal seeking a higher disability rating for PTSD.

The Veteran withdrew her appeals for an initial rating in excess of 50 percent from July 14, 2016 to May 12, 2019 for PTSD and a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) from the same period. Her claims are therefore dismissed.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to non-compliance with previous remands. The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is being returned for further development.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 70 percent, but the Board denied a higher rating and TDIU due to lack of total social and occupational impairment.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied previously, but he was granted a 100% evaluation for his service-connected conditions effective October 28, 2008. The Appellant seeks an earlier effective date, but the Board finds no legal basis to do so.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the relationship between the Veteran's service-connected diabetes and erectile dysfunction, as well as any potential connection with his PTSD. The Veteran will need a new VA examination to address these issues.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is denied as he has been in full-time or nearly full-time employment throughout the appeal period, despite his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinion regarding the Veteran's claimed acquired psychiatric disorder, specifically PTSD. The examiner is requested to provide an opinion on whether it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran's current psychiatric symptoms are related to his service in Germany in 1981.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, prostate cancer, diabetes mellitus, and peripheral neuropathy, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment prior to April 19, 2017. The TDIU is granted.

The Board has remanded the claims for a VA examination to determine the etiology of the Veteran's mental health disabilities and whether they are related to service or any service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for renal cancer with kidney removal and PTSD, as well as the TDIU prior to March 1, 2013, were denied. The Veteran's renal/kidney cancer was found not to be related to service or exposure to herbicides, while his PTSD did not cause total occupational and social impairment.

The Board has granted an initial 70 percent disability rating for PTSD effective June 18, 2009, prior to December 16, 2011. The decision finds that the Veteran's symptoms met the criteria for a 70 percent rating due to occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.

The Veteran's PTSD was initially evaluated as 30 percent disabling and later increased to 70 percent prior to August 29, 2016. The Veteran now receives a 100 percent disability rating for PTSD starting from February 9, 2015.,Beginning January 31, 2014, the Veteran was granted TDIU status until February 8, 2015. SMC has not been awarded.

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms did not meet the criteria for a higher rating, and his TDIU claim was denied as he could still perform substantially gainful employment.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, and denied entitlement to individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities. The Veteran's schizoaffective disorder was found to be a congenital or developmental defect that preexisted service.

The Board has remanded the service connection issues for additional development due to incomplete records and need for a VA examination.

The Veteran's claim to reopen service connection for dermatitis is granted. The appeal is granted to that extent only, as the initial rating for PTSD is granted at 70 percent and an effective date prior to June 8, 2016 is denied. An earlier effective date of June 8, 2015 for coronary artery disease bypass scar is granted, but no effective date prior to June 8, 2016 for service connection for allergic rhinitis or PTSD is granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for PTSD due to a personal assault during active duty, finding that there was insufficient evidence to verify the incident and no behavioral changes or medical records indicating PTSD related to the alleged assault. The Veteran has been diagnosed with other specified trauma stressor related disorder but the VA examiner concluded it is not related to an in-service personal assault.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder to include PTSD has not resulted in total occupational and social impairment, so the claim for an increased evaluation is denied.