PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2022

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent disabling, effective September 11, 2011. The rating reflects occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

The Veteran was granted a 70 percent disability rating for PTSD with alcohol use disorder and TBI with memory loss from December 2, 2016. The decision denied a higher rating for the period from December 18, 2012, through December 1, 2016.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, GAD, depression, and/or unspecified anxiety disorder. The remand includes obtaining additional medical opinions and verifying in-service stressors.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment, thus denying his claim for total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that his service-connected conditions did not contribute substantially or materially to his death.

The Veteran's PTSD is related to a verified in-service stressor and the Board has granted service connection for PTSD.

The Veteran's PTSD with MDD, generalized anxiety disorder, and insomnia did not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 70 percent prior to October 18, 2019.,Prior to August 7, 2020, the left ankle disorder did not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 10 percent. From August 7, 2020, it received a 20 percent rating based on marked limited motion.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for low blood sugar, vision disorder, hypertension, an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, numbness in the bilateral hands, and numbness in the bilateral legs, thighs, and feet due to outstanding evidence needed.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease, PTSD, tension headaches, cervical spine degenerative joint disease and radiculopathy of the right upper extremity, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation since August 26, 2010. The Board has granted TDIU effective from that date.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD results in an inability to manage and appropriately take his daily medications, requiring the regular assistance of his wife to protect him from this daily hazard. The Board granted special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for the regular aid and attendance of another person.

The claim for service connection for PTSD was reopened due to new evidence, but the claim itself remains denied as there is no credible supporting evidence of an in-service stressor.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted due to his service-connected PTSD. The neuropathy and melanoma claims are remanded for further development.

The Board dismissed the appeals due to the Veteran's death during the pendency of the appeal.

The Veteran's claim for a higher disability rating for PTSD was denied, and his claim for service connection for sleep apnea is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, Meniere's syndrome, chronic headaches, and TMJ syndrome, have rendered him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment since June 26, 2008.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to uncertainty regarding whether the Veteran's brain injury sustained in service caused his death. The claim will be reviewed again with a medical opinion.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, adjustment disorder with depression, anxiety, and sleep disorder, has been reopened. The case is remanded to obtain deck logs for USS Princeton and to provide a medical opinion regarding the nature and etiology of any diagnosed psychiatric disorders.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence and need for further development, including verification of claimed stressors.

The Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation based on the need for regular aid and attendance was denied as he is not in need of such assistance due to his service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's service connection claim for PTSD and related conditions (MDD, Anxiety) is granted based on the established stressor event in service and diagnosed PTSD.