PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2022

The Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD (including major depressive disorder with anxious features), cirrhosis of the liver, and pancreatitis are being remanded due to insufficient verification of stressor events and exposure records. The Veteran is asked to provide additional information or support for these claims.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated as 30 percent disabling. The Board has determined that the evidence does not support a higher rating, and has remanded for further development regarding TDIU.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, is denied as there is no diagnosis of PTSD or any other acquired psychiatric disorder in the record.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims due to insufficient evidence regarding in-service stressors and other factors. The issues include PTSD, an acquired psychiatric disorder (other than PTSD), sleep apnea, and a perforated left ear drum.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for PTSD is denied. His claim for service connection for tinnitus is granted. The Veteran's claims for service connection for chronic undiagnosed multisystem illness (fibromyalgia), increased rating for PTSD, and TDIU are remanded.

The Veteran's PTSD is not rated higher than 70 percent, and from February 14, 2018, the Veteran is granted a TDIU.

The Veteran's appeals for higher ratings for PTSD and left shoulder DJD have been dismissed as he has indicated satisfaction with his current disability rating.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment, and his TDIU claim was denied.

The Veteran's appeals were dismissed due to his death. The Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of these claims as he died during their pendency.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's sleep apnea is proximately caused or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, leading to the grant of TDIU on an extraschedular basis effective October 4, 2010.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding his need for aid and attendance. The VA needs to obtain recent medical records and schedule a new examination to assess the impact of his service-connected conditions on his daily activities.

The Veteran's TDIU claim was denied as his service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation. The increased rating claims for hip and knee conditions were remanded due to insufficient information regarding the range of motion estimates after repeated use over time and flareups.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a valid DSM-5 diagnosis of PTSD during or close to the appeal period, thus denying his claim for service connection.,There is insufficient evidence to establish a link between the Veteran's appendicitis disability and his prolapsed rectum. The Board finds no support in the record for this secondary service connection.

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms did not meet the criteria for higher ratings, with the exception of a temporary decrease in work efficiency during periods of significant stress. The claims for TDIU and increased PTSD evaluations were also denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to conflicting medical opinions and gaps in treatment records.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain an updated VA examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and MDD. The examiner will be asked to provide opinions on whether any current diagnoses are related to service or caused by service-connected conditions.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to inadequate VA opinions and missing treatment records. The Veteran's claims for service connection, evaluation of his back condition, and SMC are being reviewed again.

The Veteran's death was caused by intracranial hemorrhage, and his diabetes may have contributed to the development of other health issues such as hypertension, eye disorder, and erectile dysfunction. The Board finds that additional medical opinions are needed to determine the etiology of these conditions.

The Board dismissed the appeals for service connection due to the Appellant's request to withdraw her appeal prior to a decision being made.