PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2022

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depressive mood disorder, is rated at a 70 percent disability rating. For the period beginning January 23, 2020, he is granted special monthly compensation (SMC) at the housebound rate due to his service-connected bladder cancer.

The Veteran's appeal for higher initial and increased ratings for PTSD, as well as a TDIU claim, is being remanded due to the need to obtain non-VA medical records.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for specially adapted housing or special home adaptation grant due to lack of loss of use, blindness, burns, ALS, inhalation injury, or other permanent and total disability.

The Veteran meets the schedular requirements for Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) due to his service-connected PTSD, bilateral knee disability, prostate condition, hypertension, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss. The Board finds that these disabilities prevent him from engaging in substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development to obtain missing service treatment records and a folder labeled medical records. The right knee disability and PTSD claims are being reviewed again, while the pension benefits claim is inextricably intertwined with these issues.

The Board has denied service connection for prostate cancer and hypertension, but remanded the issue of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including a depressive disorder and PTSD). The TDIU claim is also remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, finding that the Veteran's current symptoms are related to her in-service sexual assault.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to new and material evidence, exposure to burn pits, and additional examination. The Veteran's prostate cancer, bilateral foot fungal disorder, and skin cancer of the right cheek are being examined for potential links to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diagnosed PTSD, GAD, and specific phobia related to flying during service are at least as likely as not caused by his in-service incidents involving planes nearly crashing. As a result, the claim for an acquired psychiatric disability is granted.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development regarding his claims of service connection for IBS, fibromyalgia, and CFS.

The Veteran's PTSD with Major Depressive Disorder is granted a 100% evaluation prior to September 11, 2019. The issue of TDIU remains in appellate status.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral foot disability other than pes planus is denied. The Board found that the Veteran's pre-existing condition did not worsen during service and thus, no new or material evidence was presented to reopen his claim.,Service connection for personality disorder is denied as it cannot be differentiated from PTSD already determined to be service-connected.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is related to his service-connected PTSD, COPD, and certain medications. The VA needs to obtain an addendum opinion from a qualified clinician to address these questions.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 50 percent, but no higher. The Board found that the severity of his symptoms more closely approximated a 50 percent rating for the entire period on appeal.

The Veteran's PTSD is being remanded for a new VA examination to assess the current severity and manifestations of his service-connected condition, given the duration since his last examination and his allegation of worsening.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, anxiety, and depression, has been reopened. The Board finds new and material evidence to support the reopening of this claim. However, further examination is needed to determine if these conditions are related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hypertension, secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus and PTSD, as well as the claim for TDIU due to a lack of sufficient evidence in the record.

The Board has granted a TDIU rating effective December 13, 2020. The claim for an earlier effective date prior to December 13, 2020 is remanded due to the need for referral to the Director of Compensation Service for consideration of an extraschedular TDIU.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeals for increased ratings of hemorrhoids and hearing loss, and granted service connection for PTSD. The lumbar spine disability appeal is remanded.

The Board has granted a 70 percent rating for PTSD throughout the appeal period, finding that it causes occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas such as work, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood.