PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2022

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 50% for the period prior to April 5, 2018. For the period from April 5, 2018 onward, a rating in excess of 70% is denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, finding that there is no current diagnosis of PTSD and insufficient evidence linking any diagnosed condition to service.

The Veteran seeks a TDIU prior to April 3, 2017. The Board finds that the Veteran may have been unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to psychiatric symptomatology and hearing loss. However, the criteria for a TDIU under 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(a) are not met. Therefore, the case is remanded for consideration of an extraschedular TDIU.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for PTSD with unspecified depression and alcohol abuse was denied. The Board also remanded the case for a new examination to determine the current severity of her service-connected disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected PTSD caused or aggravated his obstructive sleep apnea, and thus granted service connection for OSA as secondary to PTSD.

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development and a higher-level review decision is needed to address service connection for various disabilities, including left knee, right knee, left hip, bladder condition, PTSD, and TDIU.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted. The Board found that new and material evidence had been submitted to reopen the claims for depression with psychotic features, bilateral foot condition, and acquired psychiatric disorder (to include PTSD). Service connection is established for these conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for Personality Disorder and Acquired Psychiatric Disorder due to new theories of entitlement, including aggravation by service-connected conditions.

The Board has found that service connection for a right eye condition, including retinal detachment and cataract resulting from surgical treatment, is not established. The Veteran's PTSD claim was remanded due to insufficient evidence linking the diagnosis to an in-service stressor.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent prior to August 24, 2020. The case is remanded for further development regarding service connection for sinusitis and rhinitis, a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD, and TDIU.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD has rendered him unable to obtain and maintain substantially gainful employment for the entire appeal period, leading to a grant of TDIU.

The Veteran's PTSD is related to an in-service personal assault during active duty for training, and the Board has granted service connection for PTSD based on direct evidence.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and diabetes mellitus, do not prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and depressive disorder), finding that the Veteran's statements regarding in-service noise exposure are credible, and his current symptoms are related to his military service.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is dismissed as he meets the schedular criteria for a total disability rating due to his service-connected disabilities, but SMC under 38 U.S.C. 1114(s) cannot be awarded based on multiple service-connected disabilities.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for PTSD and a higher rating for an appendectomy scar. The claim of service connection for a low back disability, to include as secondary to rheumatoid arthritis, is remanded due to lack of evidence.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for various foot disabilities, sterility, kidney cysts, and a left varicocele disability have been dismissed.,Service connection has been granted for PTSD.

The Veteran's appeal for higher ratings for PTSD and service connection for a right knee disability is remanded due to inadequate examination reports.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, but the Board is remanding them for additional development to obtain medical opinions and verify stressors.

The Veteran's claim to reopen his service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including bipolar, Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), nerve problems with anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is granted. The Board also remanded the claims for a lumbar spine disorder and breathing disorder due to insufficient evidence.