PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2022

The Veteran's PTSD with depression was granted a 70 percent rating, effective April 15, 2022. The Board found that the severity, frequency, and duration of symptoms more closely approximated occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent effective February 16, 2006. He also received a TDIU and SMC-HB effective February 16, 2006.

The Veteran's claim for total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) and Dependents' Educational Assistance under 38 U.S.C. § 35 is denied as the effective dates are not earlier than May 2, 2016.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for mental impairments, PTSD, and a sleep disorder are being remanded due to the need for additional development regarding his in-service stressors.

For the period prior to June 8, 2022, the Veteran's PTSD with alcohol use disorder was productive of mild or transient symptoms that decreased work efficiency and ability to perform occupational tasks only during periods of significant stress.,From June 8, 2022, the Veteran's PTSD with alcohol use disorder is productive of occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to errors in duty to assist and insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's claimed stressors. The claim will be reviewed again with a focus on verifying the PTSD stressors and obtaining a VA examination.

The Veteran's PTSD was granted an effective date of May 11, 2015 for a 70 percent rating.,TDIU benefits were also granted with the same effective date.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and acquired psychiatric disorder (to include PTSD) are granted as service connected.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to December 7, 2018, for the award of service connection for PTSD is denied. An initial 70 percent rating, but no higher, for PTSD is granted.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for a skin disability and IBS are remanded due to a duty-to-assist error.

The Veteran's PTSD disability was granted a 100% rating from March 13, 2014 to January 12, 2020 due to total occupational and social impairment.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete consideration of his psychiatric conditions and lack of etiological opinions. The claims are now expanded to include unspecified anxiety disorder, and a new examination is required.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development to determine if there is a relationship between the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea and his service-connected PTSD, as well as to readjudicate the TDIU claim after resolving the service connection issue.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD and granted TDIU and DEA from June 28, 2019.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD, finding that his current psychiatric condition is at least as likely as not related to his service, including two in-flight incidents involving an emergency landing and near crash over the ocean. The appeal was decided on the merits of the direct service connection theory.

The Board has found that the Veteran had an acquired psychiatric disorder preexisting service. The case is remanded to determine if there was clear and unmistakable evidence of aggravation during service, and for a VA examination to assess whether any current hip disability is related to service.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, lower back problem, and bilateral shoulder pain are all found to be related to his service, specifically his time as a paratrooper. The claims for these conditions have been granted.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions did not prevent him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment during the period of appeal.

The Veteran's appeal to reopen service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression and anxiety, has been granted.,Service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome was denied due to lack of new and material evidence.

Service connection for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is granted. Service connection for Sleep Apnea, to include as secondary to service-connected PTSD, is remanded.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted for the periods from January 9, 2013 to January 13, 2020, and from May 15, 2020. The Board found that his service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.