PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2022

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection of generalized anxiety disorder, major depressive disorder, and posttraumatic stress disorder due to the death of the appellant.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevented him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation since July 24, 2013.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD, finding that there is no current diagnosis of PTSD and insufficient evidence to establish a link between his symptoms and an in-service stressor. The Veteran was not granted any new rating or effective date.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent for the period of appeal, with symptoms including depression, anxiety, nightmares, and suicidal ideation causing occupational and social impairment.

The Board granted service connection for PTSD, a neck disability, and a headache disability. Service connection for obstructive sleep apnea was also granted as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine with vertebral fracture.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder, other than major depressive disorder (MDD), to include posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD); increased ratings for right ankle and knee disorders; and entitlement to a total disability rating based upon unemployability due to service-connected disabilities are being remanded as the Board finds that there is insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's claimed psychiatric condition, right ankle and knee disorders, and the occurrence of his reported witnessing of a fellow Marine's death during training.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, tension headaches, lumbar strain with intervertebral disc syndrome, right lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve, right knee strain, and hearing loss, prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for hypertension and PTSD was denied. The earlier effective date claim for PTSD was also denied.

The Veteran's PTSD, rated at 70 percent disabling from October 20, 2015 to November 17, 2016, did not render him unable to secure or maintain any substantially gainful occupation. Beginning November 17, 2016, the Veteran is in receipt of a 100 percent schedular rating for PTSD and TDIU is moot as his PTSD alone prevents him from securing and following any substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, and he has been granted a TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities. The combined rating of all conditions does not meet the criteria for a higher rating or TDIU.

The Veteran's headaches are granted as service connected. The claims for acquired psychiatric disorder, bilateral foot disability, respiratory disorder, sleep disorder, and low back disability are remanded due to the need for additional evidence and examination.

The Veteran's claims for diabetes mellitus, heart condition, and PTSD have been remanded due to the need for additional development regarding exposure to herbicides and contaminated water during service.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for medical opinions regarding the appellant's mental health condition and whether he was insane at the time of his misconduct, which led to his discharge.

The Veteran's appeals for increased PTSD rating, initial hepatitis C rating, and service connection for scars of the left hand have been dismissed as he withdrew his requests before a decision was made.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD has rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation since April 10, 2008. The Board granted entitlement to Total Disability Rating due to Individual Unemployability (TDIU) from that date.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for lower extremity PAD and a higher rating for PTSD with depression, but has remanded his claims regarding CAD, surgical scars of the right leg and chest, a painful right leg scar, and TDIU.

The Board has granted service connection for DDD of the cervical spine with congenital stenosis, but has remanded the issues regarding an unspecified anxiety disorder and PTSD.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU prior to January 15, 2021 are being remanded due to the submission of new evidence since the last statement of the case.,A VA examination is needed to assess the current severity of the Veteran's left ankle disability.

The Board has dismissed all appeals regarding service connection for various conditions, including lumbar strain, knee pain syndromes, breathing condition, sleep apnea, and PTSD due to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD has been granted a rating of 70 percent, but no higher, due to occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood throughout the appeal period.