PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2022

The Board has remanded this case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD, depression, and anxiety. The VA examiner failed to consider the full history of the Veteran's mental health conditions and provide adequate rationales for their opinions.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent from November 4, 2009 to July 29, 2019. A rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD is denied. Effective July 29, 2019, the Veteran was granted a TDIU.

The Board has granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death and a rating greater than 50 percent for PTSD with alcohol use disorder, finding that the Veteran's alcohol use was related to his service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for PTSD, CAD, and service connection for COPD and emphysema have been dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence and need for a VA examination. The Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression, anxiety, PTSD, and cannabis use disorder, is being returned to the RO for further development.

The Board has found that the Veteran's condition has worsened during the appeal period and requires an examination to assess his current severity. The matter is remanded for this purpose.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for PTSD was denied, and his claim for a temporary total disability rating due to psychiatric hospitalization from August 30, 2019 to September 16, 2019 was also denied.

The Board has remanded the issues of entitlement to a TDIU, SMC at the housebound rate, and DEA benefits due to errors in obtaining the Veteran's earnings history for the years 2009, 2010, and 2011.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD and MDD, as well as alcohol use disorder secondary to these conditions, was granted. The decision is based on credible supporting evidence of the in-service personal assault stressor.

The Veteran is granted a TDIU from January 26, 2021, through July 28, 2021. From July 29, 2021, the appeal for a TDIU is dismissed as moot due to his current combined rating of 100%.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service connection due to in-service exposure and persistence of symptoms.,Service connection for PTSD is denied as the Veteran does not meet criteria for a current diagnosis.

The Veteran's initial claim for service connection for PTSD with major depressive disorder was denied in April 2005. The Board granted service connection and assigned an effective date of May 31, 2005. However, the AOJ did not provide a VA examination to assess the severity of her symptoms during the period on appeal. This error requires remand.

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms prior to June 7, 2019 more closely approximated a 50 percent disability rating. Beginning June 7, 2019, the criteria for a higher than 70 percent rating were not met.

The Veteran's PTSD was initially rated at 30 percent effective November 15, 2019. The claim for a TDIU was raised and granted as of August 17, 2020. An earlier effective date is denied.

The Board has found that the Veteran's submission of Hostile Fire Pay (HFP) during active service warrants reconsideration of the August 2002 rating decision denying service connection for PTSD. The case is being remanded to reconsider this earlier denial.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD, finding that his diagnosis of PTSD was not related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at a 70 percent since January 2019, with the benefit of doubt given to his claim for an increased rating. The Board finds that his symptoms more closely approximate a 70 percent rating due to suicidal ideations and other significant symptoms.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD; a neck disability; a left shoulder disability; and degenerative joint disease of the left knee. The evidence did not support the finding that these conditions had their onset during service or were otherwise related to service.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD and adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood, are granted as they are found to be related to his active service.

The Veteran's PTSD resulted in total occupational and social impairment from September 11, 2012, to November 13, 2012, and from December 15, 2017. From November 13, 2012, to December 15, 2017, the Veteran's PTSD symptoms caused occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood. The Veteran is granted a 100% evaluation for PTSD from these dates.