PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2022

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD prevents them from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment since February 8, 2012. The Board granted a total disability rating due to individual unemployability (TDIU) effective that date.

The Veteran's PTSD, posttraumatic headaches, chronic cervical strain, and chronic lumbar strain with early degenerative disc disease were granted service connection effective July 20, 2010. The TBI was granted as part of the PTSD award on November 16, 2010, and a separate rating of 10% for TBI was awarded effective May 16, 2017.,An earlier effective date claim for all conditions except TBI is denied due to finality.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient opinions regarding whether the Veteran's sleep apnea is secondary to his service-connected PTSD and/or stimulant use disorder with cocaine in sustained remission.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy due to insufficient evidence regarding the claimed stressors during active duty, inadequate opinions from the VA examiner, and a need for further examination.

The Board has remanded the claims for entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, MDD, and GAD, as well as OSA. The issues are inextricably intertwined due to the potential impact on the OSA claim based on the Veteran's acquired psychiatric condition.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to September 20, 2017, for a 100 percent evaluation for PTSD is being remanded due to the need for additional records from Social Security Administration.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and opinions regarding his claimed conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims for left shoulder, bilateral knee, lumbar spine, and PTSD disabilities due to incomplete records. The claim for service connection of bilateral hearing loss is also remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD, adjustment disorder, and other specified trauma-and-stressor-related-disorder is remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for additional development, including obtaining updated private treatment records and scheduling a VA examination. The Veteran's PTSD and TBI residuals are being reviewed again due to new evidence.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and other psychiatric disorders, finding that there is no evidence of a current diagnosis or in-service incurrence or aggravation of these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment consistent with his educational and vocational experience starting from January 15, 2013.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's claimed acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD. Additional medical records are needed and a VA examination is required.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, due to in-service trauma. Service connection for PTSD pursuant to 38 U.S.C. § 1702 is denied as there was no diagnosed mental health disorder within two years of separation.

The Veteran's bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome has been granted service connection.,A disability rating of 70 percent, but no higher, for PTSD has been granted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for TBI, PTSD, and low back disability due to outstanding treatment records that need to be obtained. The Veteran is also scheduled for a VA examination to assess his current severity of low back disability.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, tinnitus, and posttraumatic stress disorder was reopened. Service connection is granted for hypertension and tinnitus, but diabetes mellitus and posttraumatic stress disorder are denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, and did not meet the criteria for an increased rating of 70 percent for PTSD from June 24, 2013. For the other conditions, the Board found that they did not meet the criteria for increased ratings in excess of the current assigned ratings.

The Veteran's appeals for earlier effective dates and initial ratings were dismissed. The Board found that the Veteran withdrew her appeals, and service connection was granted for tinnitus.

The Board has remanded this case due to issues with the previous decision regarding service connection for a psychiatric disability, including PTSD, which was secondary to service-connected gastrointestinal disabilities. The Veteran is advised to provide evidence of military sexual trauma (MST) and in-service psychiatric injury, disease, or symptoms.