PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2022

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development regarding her PTSD and left 3rd finger condition claims, including obtaining information about stressor events and private treatment records.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for PTSD was denied. The effective date remains at August 26, 2013.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD from December 1, 2008 to November 21, 2014, finding that the Veteran's symptoms did not meet the criteria for total occupational and social impairment.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD has rendered him unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment prior to August 27, 2019 and from November 1, 2019 onward. The Board granted a TDIU for these periods.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD with major depressive disorder is granted as secondary to sleep apnea, and a rating of 70% is granted for the period beginning February 3, 2021.

The Veteran's appeals for Traumatic Brain Injury and TDIU were dismissed due to the Veteran requesting to withdraw his appeal.,The remaining issues of service connection for various disabilities, including a right knee disability, low back disability, gastric disorder, neck disability, and right upper extremity radiculopathy are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric condition, including PTSD, major depressive disorder, unspecified anxiety disorder, and alcohol use disorder, is at least as likely as not related to service. Service connection for this condition is granted.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 50% from December 8, 2020. The issue of service connection for IBS due to Gulf War Illness remains pending and must be remanded.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for bilateral shoulders, migraines (including as due to service-connected fibromyalgia, PTSD and IBS), a respiratory disorder (sinusitis), rating in excess of 40 percent for service-connected fibromyalgia, and rating in excess of 30 percent for service-connected irritable bowel syndrome.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including a new VA examination and medical opinion regarding the Veteran's claimed PTSD and other psychiatric disorders. The issues of service connection for PTSD and an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD are being addressed.

The Veteran's PTSD with depressive features is being remanded for a new examination to assess the current severity of his condition. The TDIU issue is also being remanded due to its inextricably intertwined nature with the PTSD rating issue.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depression was previously denied in an April 2001 rating decision. The claim has been reopened due to the submission of new evidence. However, further records development is needed before a final determination can be made.

The Veteran's PTSD has been granted an increased rating of 30 percent, effective from January 28, 2014. The Board found that the Veteran's symptoms have caused occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform tasks.

The Veteran's PTSD with MDD has been granted a 70 percent rating effective November 3, 2015. The evidence shows difficulty in adapting to stressful circumstances and other symptoms consistent with a 70 percent rating.

The Board has determined that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's diagnosed acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, is due to his military service. Therefore, service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, to include PTSD, is granted.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death. The Board does not have jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of his claims as they are moot.

The Board has found that there has not been substantial compliance with prior remand directives and thus requires additional development to obtain VA treatment records from the Killeen Heights Vet Center.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a left knee disability has been dismissed.,The petition to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for PTSD is granted, and the issue of service connection for PTSD is remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for adjustment disorder with depressed mood, claimed as PTSD, and for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to inadequate medical opinions from the previous VA examination.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is not considered to have caused or aggravated his dementia, which was a cause of death. The remand requires obtaining an updated medical opinion regarding whether the March 1998 surgery contributed to the aggravation of his dementia.