PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2022

The Veteran's PTSD did not cause total social and occupational impairment, resulting in a denial of an increased rating. The service connection claim for joint pain is remanded.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 50 percent, causing occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity. The rating is granted.

The Board has remanded the case due to failure to cooperate with a VA examination and requests for SSA records.

The Board has determined that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether M.R. was permanently incapable of self-support prior to attaining the age of 18 due to his mental disabilities, including schizophrenia, anxiety, depression, and PTSD. As a result, recognition of M.R. as a 'helpless child' on the basis of permanent incapacity for self-support prior to attaining age 18 is granted.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, the maximum schedular rating. The Veteran's hyperhidrosis is currently rated at 30 percent and no higher on a schedular basis.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD and MDD. The case will be remanded for a new VA medical opinion.

The appeal for service connection for low back pain is dismissed. The appeals for left ankle disability and psychiatric disability, to include PTSD, are remanded.

The Board has dismissed all claims as the Veteran withdrew his appeals in February 2020.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, due to a request for a DRO hearing. The appeal will be reconsidered after this is scheduled.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is granted. The issue of TDIU is remanded and will be addressed after a disability rating for PTSD has been assigned.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability to include PTSD, finding that there was no credible supporting evidence of a stressor related to fear of hostile military or terrorist activity. The Veteran's statements alone were not sufficient to confirm the occurrence of the claimed in-service stressor.

The Board has remanded the case due to unverified stressors and potential issues with the Veteran's service connection for psychiatric disorders. The VA examiner will need to verify one of the reported stressors, assess whether the in-service disciplinary problems were related to any psychiatric disorder, and determine if substance abuse predated or caused the psychiatric disorder.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) and Total Disability Rating Based Upon Individual Unemployability due to Service-Connected Disabilities (TDIU).,The Veteran's last day of substantially gainful employment was May 11, 2015. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the schedular requirements for a TDIU prior to this date.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to the appellant's unverified military service records. The AOJ is instructed to verify any service and provide the appellant with an opportunity to submit additional evidence supporting his claim.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a TDIU was denied as there was no evidence of clear and unmistakable error in the prior rating decisions.

The appeal to reopen the claim of service connection for vaginal disability has been withdrawn.,New and material evidence has been received sufficient to reopen the previously denied claim of service connection for headaches. Service connection is granted.,Service connection for a sinus condition is denied.,Service connection for PTSD is granted, with the opinion suggesting that the Veteran's current mental health disability may be related to service-connected PTSD.,The relationship between TMJ and PTSD is unclear; further examination is needed to determine if TMJ is secondary to PTSD.,Service connection for a low back disability is denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for schizophrenia disorder, an acquired psychiatric disorder other than schizophrenia (including PTSD), and traumatic brain injury. The low back disability claim was not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development on issues of service connection for PTSD, lower back disability, and right knee disability. The TDIU claim is also part of the initial rating claim for PTSD.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to outstanding VA and private treatment records that need to be obtained for a proper evaluation of his PTSD with TBI.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining SSA records and conducting a VA psychiatric examination to determine if the Veteran has PTSD and whether it is linked to service.