PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2022

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and a cervical spine disorder. The claims are being remanded.

The Board denied service connection for a back condition, finding no evidence of an in-service injury or disease related to the current condition.,Service connection was also denied for a joint condition (fibromyalgia), vertigo, sinus condition, headache condition (migraines), and gastrointestinal disability (GERD and hiatal hernia).

The Veteran's right leg surgical scar has been granted a 10% disability rating for the entire initial rating period on appeal.,A total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU) is granted for the entire rating period prior to January 4, 2020.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD due to military sexual trauma, finding that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's PTSD is related to service. The decision resolves all reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for the evaluation of PTSD and back disability before a decision was made.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for an increased rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD, since May 3, 2011. A new VA examination is needed due to the passage of time and changes in symptoms.

The Board has expanded the scope of the Veteran's claim to include a psychiatric disability other than PTSD. The case is remanded for further examination and opinion regarding any diagnosed psychiatric disorder, including PTSD.

The Board has granted the claim for service connection for PTSD, finding that there is an approximate balance of evidence showing a link between the appellant's claimed in-service personal assault and her current diagnosis of PTSD.

The Board found that the January 2010 decision did not contain clear and unmistakable error in denying earlier effective dates for service connection for the Veteran's conditions. The deck logs from the USS Taylor, which were associated with his file after the original claims had been decided, did not trigger reconsideration of the original decisions as they were not part of the basis for the initial grants of service connection.

The Veteran's PTSD is granted an increased rating to 70 percent, but the issue of entitlement to a total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU) is remanded for further development.

The Board granted an initial 70 percent rating for PTSD with anxiety and a 50 percent rating for migraines, effective July 19, 2012.

The Veteran's PTSD with alcohol and cannabis use disorders is rated at 70 percent since March 28, 2018. The rating will increase to 100 percent effective December 9, 2021.

The Board has found that new evidence has been added to the record and must be considered, including VA examinations for PTSD and VA treatment records. The claim is being remanded so that the AOJ may consider this new evidence prior to a decision.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, specifically PTSD. The Veteran's claims are based on a claimed in-service military sexual trauma (MST).

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a separate diagnosed psychiatric disorder other than PTSD. The claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea is remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has denied service connection for a bilateral foot disorder and a respiratory disorder, to include allergies, as secondary to military environmental and/or Agent Orange exposure. The claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, depression, and anxiety, secondary to MST is remanded.,Service connection for the acquired psychiatric disorder will be further evaluated based on the results of the VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, acute maxillary sinusitis, rhinitis, right leg fungus, left leg fungus, tinea pedis of the right foot, tinea pedis of the left foot, and an acquired psychiatric disorder have been granted. The effective dates are not specified as they were all granted in a June 2018 rating decision.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeal, leaving no issues for further consideration.

The Board has decided that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of sinusitis and denied service connection for this condition. The back disability and bilateral knee disability are remanded due to incomplete records, and the acquired psychiatric disorder is also remanded.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected PTSD is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination and development of the record.