PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2022

The Board has granted service connection for cerebrovascular accident (CVA), cerebral vasculitis, hemiplegia, and multiple sclerosis as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected traumatic brain injury (TBI) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).,Service connection was denied for muscular dystrophy and labyrinthitis.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of PTSD was reopened and granted, with the diagnosis being related to an in-service stressor event involving attacks by wild boars during military training.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to conflicting medical evidence regarding whether the appellant's psychiatric disorders existed prior to service and are related to service. A new VA opinion is needed for clarification.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim to reopen his previously denied PTSD service connection claim due to incomplete records and the need for further development.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD and schizophrenia, due to his failure to report for a VA examination. The issue will be adjudicated again after another VA examination is conducted.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 100 percent, the highest possible rating. The issue of entitlement to a Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) was dismissed as moot.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted service connection. The issues of service connection for a psychiatric disability, headache disability, PFB, bilateral pes planus, and left knee disability are remanded.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased evaluation for PTSD was dismissed.,Service connection for right knee pain and arthritis, left knee pain and arthritis, and lumbar spine condition were granted.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea, finding that his current disability is not related to any in-service injury or disease. The PTSD increased rating and TDIU claims are remanded due to incomplete examination and treatment records.

The Veteran's PTSD was not shown to have been manifested by symptoms productive of total occupational and social impairment prior to April 17, 2018. However, his service-connected disabilities were sufficiently incapacitating as to functionally impair his ability to secure or follow gainful employment for the period on appeal prior to April 17, 2018.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings for PTSD and TDIU was denied. The Board found that the severity, frequency, and duration of the Veteran's PTSD symptoms did not meet the criteria for a higher rating before May 15, 2018, or for a 100 percent rating thereafter. For TDIU, the Veteran's service-connected disabilities were deemed insufficient to prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms have resulted in occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas, warranting a 70 percent rating. The TDIU claim is granted from June 30, 2018 to January 5, 2019.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining mental status examinations and determining the severity of his service-connected PTSD with bipolar disorder from July 28, 2002 to November 26, 2007. The issue of entitlement to SMC based on loss of a creative organ will also be addressed.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient verification of in-service stressors for PTSD and a need for further examination to determine the nature and likely cause of any acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection were dismissed. The Board found that the Veteran withdrew his appeal for PTSD and left knee disability, and denied service connection for tinnitus. Right eye vision loss and bilateral hearing loss are remanded.

The Veteran's PTSD was rated at 30 percent from March 14, 2011 to August 28, 2019 and granted a 50 percent rating from August 29, 2019 to September 28, 2020.

The Veteran's PTSD with alcohol abuse and TBI is rated at 70 percent, effective from the date of the decision. The other issues are remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection of sleep apnea, low testosterone, and hypertension. The appeal for a rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD is remanded.

The Board has determined that additional VA examinations are needed to assess the current severity of the Veteran's psychiatric and musculoskeletal conditions, including PTSD with sleep impairment, chronic lumbosacral strain, lumbar radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, and residuals of puncture wound/contusion right mid-tibia. The TDIU claim is also remanded for further development.

The Board has found new and material evidence to reopen the claim of service connection for PTSD. However, due to insufficient medical evidence regarding the relationship between the Veteran's current psychiatric conditions and his military service, the case is being remanded for further clarification.