PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2021

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD with unspecified depressive disorder and alcohol use disorder functionally impaired his ability to secure or follow any occupation beyond marginal employment in a protected environment from April 2, 2010 to March 18, 2015. The Board granted the TDIU on an extraschedular basis.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for emphysema, PTSD, and a psychiatric disorder have been reopened and granted.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD have been granted with an initial rating of 70 percent effective July 24, 2015. The Board has found that the Veteran's symptoms more closely approximate a 70 percent disability rating and remanded for further development to determine if he is unemployable due to his service-connected PTSD.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD and depression, finding that the Veteran's current diagnoses are related to his in-service stressors. The appeal is therefore granted.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, claimed as PTSD, hypertension, obstructive sleep apnea, migraine headaches, and diabetes mellitus, type II. The Veteran's reported stressors were not verified, and there was no medical evidence linking his current conditions to service.,Service connection was also denied for right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy (diagnosed as diabetic neuropathy), left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy (diagnosed as diabetic neuropathy), right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy (diagnosed as diabetic neuropathy), and left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy (diagnosed as diabetic neuropathy).

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for PTSD prior to August 3, 2021 is being remanded due to inadequate opinion and outstanding records.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD and a psychiatric disorder, finding no competent medical evidence to show that his current psychiatric condition is related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records and additional medical evidence is needed.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to non-compliance with previous directives and to obtain a new opinion regarding whether the Veteran's sleep apnea is caused or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, and he is granted a TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities. The Board finds that the Veteran's PTSD renders him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's PTSD with major depressive disorder is granted a disability rating of 70 percent, effective throughout the appeal period. The claim for TDIU is remanded.

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms have been rated at 70 percent since May 16, 2016. The Board has granted a TDIU effective from the same date due to her service-connected disabilities preventing her from obtaining and maintaining gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete medical records and the need for a VA examination to determine if the Veteran meets criteria for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD. The examiner will also assess whether any identified disabilities are related to service.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating in excess of 30 percent for his service-connected PTSD is being remanded due to the need for a new examination, as requested by the Veteran and ordered by the Board.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not meet the criteria for a schedular TDIU prior to June 21, 2012. The evidence of record is against a finding that his service-connected disabilities resulted in an inability to obtain or maintain a substantially gainful course of employment.

The Veteran's total disability due to individual unemployability is granted, and his gastrointestinal disorder (including GERD and gastritis) is rated at 30 percent. The latter condition meets the criteria for a 30 percent rating under DC 7346.

The Veteran's appeal was denied for an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for headaches and for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU).,The Board found that the Veteran had prostrating headaches but did not have very frequent completely prostrating and prolonged attacks productive of severe economic inadaptability, thus denying an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for headaches. The TDIU claim was denied due to lack of information regarding the Veteran's employment status.

The Veteran's claim for an initial disability rating of 30 percent for tardive dyskinesia has been granted.,The effective date for the grant of TDIU is set at May 12, 2005.

The Veteran's PTSD, along with her seasonal allergies, rendered her unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation for the period from April 4, 2011 to August 27, 2011. The Board found that the evidence was at least in equipoise as to whether she could not work due to her service-connected disabilities.

The Board has recognized the appellant as the Veteran's surviving spouse due to continuous cohabitation from their marriage in May 2011 until the Veteran's death, despite a few months of separation due to the Veteran's violent outburst. The appeal is not about service connection.