PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2022

The Veteran's depression and PTSD symptoms have resulted in occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas, warranting a 70 percent rating prior to February 3, 2022. The criteria for a higher rating of 100 percent are not met.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD and remanded the issue of service connection for a seizure disorder. The decision on the PTSD claim is based on an in-service personal assault (MST).

The Veteran's PTSD and major depressive disorder are currently rated at 70 percent, effective January 17, 2015. A TDIU is granted since the day after his retirement in January 2015.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder to include PTSD, finding that the Veteran's pre-existing psychiatric conditions were not aggravated by service and that there is clear and unmistakable evidence of their existence prior to enlistment.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for PTSD service connection is denied, and his SMC based on aid and attendance/housebound is also denied.

The Veteran's PTSD is granted an increased evaluation of 50 percent from July 28, 2010 to July 29, 2018.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, and the Board has found that a higher rating is warranted due to the progression of his symptoms. The case is being remanded for another VA examination.

The Board has granted an earlier effective date for the grant of total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) from May 7, 2012. The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevented him from maintaining gainful employment prior to this date.

The Veteran's prostate cancer rating was reduced from 100% to 40%, effective June 1, 2020. The reduction was improper and the 100% rating is restored.,Service connection for PTSD was granted with an effective date of April 11, 2012, but no earlier.,SMC pursuant to 38 U.S.C. § 1114(s) from June 1, 2020, is granted.,SMC due to loss of use of a creative organ from December 12, 2019, is denied.,An initial compensable rating for erectile dysfunction is granted and an effective date earlier than December 12, 2019 is sought.,A higher rating for type II diabetes mellitus is requested.

The Veteran's appeals for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, a rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD, and TDIU due to service-connected disabilities are all remanded. The appeal for service connection for low back pain is also remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, PTSD, left knee condition, right knee condition, left leg condition, lumbar back condition, and neck condition due to a duty-to-assist error. The Veteran was not scheduled for examinations because he failed to appear, but it is believed he was briefly incarcerated in March 2022.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 70 percent, and the Board has determined that this rating does not meet the criteria for a higher rating. The case is being remanded to address the issue of TDIU.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not result in the need for regular aid and attendance of another person, nor does he have a need for specially adapted housing or a special home adaptation grant due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD with an effective date of October 20, 2021. The Veteran's original claim was denied in June 2010 and reopened in April 2015 but the claims were not appealed. An earlier effective date is not possible due to finality of previous decisions.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depression was dismissed because the VA Form 10182 submitted more than one year after the SOC was issued was not timely.

The Board denied the Veteran's request for an effective date prior to October 22, 2010 for the grant of service connection for PTSD. The claim was initially filed in December 1997 under a different context (38 U.S.C. § 1151), and the effective date assigned is based on the date of his most recent claim for PTSD.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for PTSD and a psychiatric disorder other than PTSD due to inadequate VA opinions and issues with communication.

The Veteran's claim for PTSD was denied in March 2005 and later granted with an effective date of February 12, 2017. The Board found that no earlier effective date is warranted as the Veteran withdrew his pending claims for PTSD multiple times before February 2017.

The Veteran's PTSD was rated at 30 percent prior to July 2, 2021. The Board found that the symptoms did not warrant a higher rating.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, finding that there is no evidence of a current diagnosis or functional impairment.